Mickelson on brink of 5th Pebble win

PEBBLE BEACH >> Phil Mickelson put himself on the brink of a fifth victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach proam by turning a three-shot deficit into a three-shot lead when a wild day of weather kept him from finishing Sunday.

Mickelson was bogeyfree with six birdies, and he made his big run starting with a 9-iron to a foot behind the cup on the par-4 ninth. That was start of a five-hole stretch when Mickelson made three birdies and Paul Casey had two bogeys.

About the only thing that didn’t go Mickelson’s way was the timing.

The final round started an hour late because of rain, and then it was delayed two more hours when sunshine gave way to a hail storm in a matter of minutes, covering the putting greens in a sheet of white.

Mickelson was at 18-under par through 16 holes. Casey had a 3-foot par putt on the same hole when Mickelson tried to lobby for them to finish, even in the dark.

Mickelson will have to return at 8 a.m. Monday to play the last two holes.

Casey was at 15 under, tied with Scott Stallings, who closed with a 66. Along with an outside chance at forcing a playoff, finishing alone in second instead of a tie is a difference of $152,000, along with world ranking points and FedEx Cup points. Casey and FedEx executive Don Colleran had a one-shot lead in the pro-am.

Mickelson was standing on the 17th tee when he heard the horn sound to stop play, and he shook his head.

The rest of his day was far better than the weather.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

BOCA RATON, FLA. >> Bernhard Langer made himself at home in the Oasis Championship.

Playing 10 minutes from his house, the 61-year-old German star closed with a 7-under 65 in windy condition at The Old Course at Broken Sound for a fivestroke victory. He finished at a tournament-record 19-under 197 for his 39th victory on the 50-andover circuit and earned $255,000 to break Hale Irwin’s tour career record with $27,196,504.

LPGA TOUR

BARWON HEADS, AUSTRALIA >> Celine Boutier of France won the ISPS Handa Vic Open for her first LPGA Tour title, shooting an evenpar 72 for a two-stroke victory at 13th Beach Golf Links.

Boutier finished at 8-under 281 to become the fourth French winner in LPGA Tour history. The 25-year-old former Duke player also won the Ladies European Tour’s 2017 Sanya Ladies Open and 2018 Australian Ladies Classic Bonville.