Mickelson silences critics with Pebble Beach win
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2007 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am | Wrap | 12 Feb 2007
In what is perhaps the best possible way to answer doubters, Phil Mickelson today returned to the USPGA Tour winner’s circle when he claimed the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am by five shots over Kevin Sutherland.
For Mickelson, it was his 30th PGA Tour victory and his third win at Pebble Beach and reminded us all of just what an amazing golfer he is. Eight months ago, a disastrous last hole at Winged Foot, when he double bogeyed to lose the US Open which he had in his grasp to that point, seemed to set off a series of events where his mind was not fully on the job. He even made reference to that moment after his round today when he mentioned that his driving at Winged Foot, and subsequently, had prompted him to work extremely hard on that aspect of his game during the significant amount of time he spent away from tournament golf late in 2006 and in the first few weeks of 2007.
Phil Mickelson loves Pebble Beach and in an emotional reference to his family’s ties with the place, he thanked CBS announcer Jim Nance for providing him with photographic evidence of his grandfather’s time as a caddy at Pebble Beach many years ago. It was a nice moment and clearly one that Mickelson found very moving. Coupled with that, was the undoubted satisfaction he received from winning when so many thought he might still be traumatised by the ’Winged Foot’ episode and you could sense this was a very special day for the left hander.
Early on, it was the surprise packet of the week, John Mallinger, who took the lead after starting the day one behind both Mickelson and Kevin Sutherland. When he birdied the 7th hole to move to two under for the day, Mallinger sat at 15 under for the tournament. With Mickelson taking a disastrous double bogey at the 5th and Sutherland taking a while to warm up, Mallinger had the lead on his own, even if it was only briefly.
Mickelson’s double bogey was the result of a serious miscalculation on the tee and the ball was just beginning its descent when it passed over the flag. It pitched ten yards through the green and was lost. Mickleson returned to the tee and made par with the second ball but the resultant double bogey had him trailing Mallinger.
From that point on however Mickelson was quickly back on track, hitting some delightful iron shots.
At the 6th he made birdie at the par five, at the 8th he hit a five iron to 7 feet and converted to turn in 34. At the 10th he hit it to 15 feet and at the very next he spun it back from behind the hole to 10 feet to birdie again. At the 15th he was within 4 feet, at the dangerous 17th he hit a six iron to 4 feet and at the last he hit a pitch from 60 yards or so that spun back past the flag to four feet. It was vintage Mickelson and he was clearly excited about the manner in which he had played.
“I felt I was ready to do well when I came out here at the Bob Hope but now that this has happened I am off to a good start to the year and I’m excited about next week and the rest of the year,” he said immediately after his round.
Sutherland made a nice six foot birdie at the last to edge Mallinger out of a share for second, costing the rookie US$110,000 and earning Sutherland that much more. Davis Love and Englishman Greg Owen tied for fourth.
The best of the Australasians was again Aaron Baddeley who did well to follow up such a significant week last week with a 19th place finish. Mark Hensby finished 50th but signalled once again that he is now playing free of injury and is on the comeback trail. They were the only two Australasians to play on Sunday but Paul Gow and Mathew Goggin also earn cheques for making the cut but not being required on the Sunday where only a limited field plays the final round.
The PGA Tour now heads south to Los Angeles and Pacific Palisades where they will play the Nissan Open at the famed Riviera Country Club.
