Mickelson primed for Augusta
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2011 Shell Houston Open | Final Round | 04 Apr 2011
Phil Mickelson served notice to the golfing world that his fifth major championship might be just seven days away when he completed a timely victory at the Shell Houston Open in Humble in Texas today.
Mickelson outlasted veteran Scott Verplank in a David and Goliath battle with Verplank brilliant in his quest to win his first PGA Tour event in four years. The pair was locked in a neck and neck battle until Verplank three putted the 14th to fall one behind and then three behind when he could only manage a bogey to Mickelson’s birdie at the 16th.
That was the game breaker as Mickelson would go on to par the final two holes to win by three over Verplank and Chris Kirk, the latter continuing what had been an encouraging if unspectacular start to his rookie PGA Tour season after a standout year on the Nationwide Tour in 2010.
Mickelson was first to take the lead when he chipped in for birdie at the first from just off the green but following successive bogeys by him and a birdie by Verplank at the 4th, Verplank led on his own.
Mickelson was still one behind as the pair headed to the 10th tee but with four consecutive birdies to start the back nine he had drawn level with Verplank who birdied three of those same holes and just refused to go away.
The break would come at the next with the three putt and with Mickelson at his best the task for Verplank was about to become too great.
Despite his lack of experience at this level and in this situation, Kirk found a way to finish the event off well with a final nine of 32 to share second position with Verplank the US$519,000 or so ensuring him of a great position when the re-rank comes around in a couple of weeks time.
“It is for other to make that judgement,” said Mickelson when asked if he should now be the favourite for the Masters. There is little doubt that in most people’s eyes he will be however.
The victory moves Mickelson to 3rd in the world ranking, the first time he has been ahead of Tiger Woods since the week prior to the 1997 Masters which Woods won by a massive 12 shots to move to third at that point behind Greg Norman and Tom Lehman.
Steve Stricker served notice that perhaps his slip in the world ranking in recent months has been turned around with a very good weekend to finish in a share of 4th with Aaron Baddeley.
Baddeley gave himself an outside chance of winning the tournament when he moved to 15 under through 10 holes and at that point was within just one. At the next however Baddeley found the water with his approach and took bogey. It was however yet another good week for the Australian who now appears to be playing close to his best, strengthening his chances for Augusta National next week.
Robert Allenby finished in a share of 6th and Greg Chalmers in a share of 8th in what was yet another good week for the Australians in Houston.
Nick O’Hern was 19th in his best PGA Tour finish in nearly twelve months, many of them interrupted by injury and surgery issues. John Senden was 24th, Nathan Green 30th, Steve Elkington 51st and Marc Leishman 66th. Jarrod Lyle also made the cut but did not play on Sunday due to the MDF rule. He will earn a cheque however.
