Mickelson, Wie halt long skids
His first win since 2013 British Open; her 1st since ’14 U.S.
Phil Mickelson ended the longest drought of his career with a playoff victory over Justin Thomas in the Mexico Championship, capping off a wild day that included Thomas holing out for eagle on the final hole of regulation.
Mickelson, who closed with a 5-under 66, twoputted from 18 feet for par on the signature par-3 17th hole at Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City. Thomas went long, chipped to just inside 10 feet and his par putt to extend the playoff was never on line.
His last victory was the 2013 British Open at Muirfield, a stretch of 101 starts worldwide without a win.
“This is a very meaningful win,” Mickelson said. “I can’t really put it into words given the tough times over the last four years, and the struggle to get here, and knowing that I was able to compete at this level but not doing it.
“To finally break through and to have this validation means a lot to me.”
Mickelson won his third World Golf Championship, and made good on his pledge that more victories were in store for him.
“I knew it was going to be soon — I’ve been playing too well for it not to be,” he said. “But you just never know until it happens.”
Thomas, who won last week in a playoff at the Honda Classic, capped off a 62-64 weekend with more clutch play, no shot bigger than his sand wedge that bounced behind the flag and spun back into the cup on his final hole for eagle.
“Man, there’s nothing for me to hang my head about,” Thomas said. “To even have a chance to win this golf tournament after where I was through 18, through 36 holes, I’m very proud of myself. Obviously, I would have loved to drum him out there in that playoff, but I’m just happy for him . ... He’s playing some great golf.”
LPGA Tour: Jupiter resident Michelle Wie holed a 36-foot putt from off the green on the final hole to win the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore by one stroke and capture her first LPGA tournament since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.
With four players in contention to win on the last hole, Wie managed to separate herself from the pack when she drained her lengthy birdie putt on the 72nd hole at the Sentosa Golf Club for a final round of 7-under 65 to finish at 17-under 271.
The 28-year-old Wie, who led this tournament after three rounds a year ago before fading on the last day, leaped into the air and clenched her fist as the ball disappeared into the cup.
“Winning is everything. I mean, there is no better feeling than when you think you sink that winning putt. It’s a high, for sure,” Wie said. “You go out there, and it’s this feeling that gets you going. It’s this feeling that makes you practice.”
Third-round leader Nelly Korda parred her last eight holes in a row. The 19-yearold, who joined the LPGA Tour just last year, missed her 8-foot putt on 18 and settled for a final-round 71.
Danielle Kang, last year’s Singapore winner, parred her final 14 holes and was unable to drain a longer birdie putt on the last to miss out on a playoff as she closed with a 70. Korda and Kang finished in a four-way tie for second at 16-under, alongside Jenny Shin (65) and Brooke Henderson (67).
PGA Tour Champions: Steve Stricker closed with three pars for a 4-under 69 to win the Cologuard Classic at Omni Tucson (Ariz.) National’s Catalina Course. He finished two strokes ahead of fellow Madison, Wis., player Jerry Kelly (65), Gene Sauers (70) and Scott Dunlap (71).
Bob Estes (69), Olin Browne (69) and Rocco Mediate (72) tied for fifth at 10 under.
European Tour: George Coetzee closed with a 4-under 67 for a two-shot victory over Sam Horsfield of England in the Tshwane Open.
Coetzee had a two-shot lead going into the final round at Pretoria (South Africa) Country Club, and Horsfield stayed in range. They were tied through 10 holes until a pivotal two-shot swing on the 11th hole, when Coetzee made birdie and Horsfield dropped a shot.
Coetzee birdied the next two holes and stretched his lead to four shots. He finished at 18-under 266.