Golf: Mickelson battles to Riviera win

Page last updated at 00:08 GMT, Monday, 23 February 2009

Mickelson battles to Riviera win

FINAL ROUND LEADERBOARD: -15 P Mickelson (US) -14 S Stricker (US) -13 F Couples (US), A Romero (Arg), KJ Choi (Kor) -12 L Donald (Eng), M Calcavecchia (US), R Sabbatini (SA), JB Holmes (US) Selected others: -8 B Davis (Eng) -4 G McDowell (NI) Mickelson celebrates winning his 35th PGA Tour title Phil Mickelson fired two birdies in his closing three holes to win the Northern Trust Open by one shot having squandered a five-stroke lead. The 38-year-old, who led by four coming into the final day, struggled off the tee for most of the round and was two behind with three to play. But Mickelson birdied the 16th and 17th, while Steve Stricker bogeyed the last, to defend his Riviera Club title. Stricker was second with England's Luke Donald three shots off the lead. In 2007, Mickelson had led by one standing on the 18th tee at Riviera Country Club but bogeyed the last before losing to countryman Charles Howell III at the third extra hole of a play-off. "To make that par on 18 when two years ago I didn't, that meant a lot to me," said Mickelson, who climbed two places to third in the world rankings with his victory. "Standing on the final tee two years ago, I had a one-shot lead but drove it in the rough and made a bogey. "I stood out there today, hit three-wood, put it in the middle of the fairway, put a six-iron just out on the fringe and was able to two-putt for par. That was important to me." The left-hander Mickelson set the first-round pace with a stunning 63 and returned a disappointing 72 on the second day before firing an even more spectacular 62 on Saturday. But after beginning his final round with an eagle to forge further ahead, he dropped five shots by the 14th before finishing strongly. "It was certainly my 'A' game in the first and third rounds," said the three-time major winner, who ended 15 under at Riviera. "It was just the last round that I didn't quite have my best stuff. "It gives me confidence and something to build on for the rest of the year. Even when I didn't have my best stuff, I was able to fight through it. That meant a lot to me." Mickelson planned to spend more time with his swing coach Butch Harmon before this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. "I certainly have some work to do, but at least I'm on the right path the right direction," he added. "And I'm having some success now even without maybe my best stuff. "But I'll work with Butch on Tuesday and see if I can continue to build on this and carry some momentum into Augusta with maybe some high performance." On the return of his great rival Tiger Woods this week, Mickelson said: "We need him back. We're all excited to have him back and we're excited he's going to be 100%. "From a player's point of view it's going to be harder to win tournaments, but we love the challenge. "I hope that he stays healthy because it's evident the game of golf needs him, especially at this time right now. The economy has been struggling, the sponsors have been struggling - to have him back is so critical for the sport."