Mickelson outlasts Quinney at Riviera
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 Northern Trust Open | Round Four | 18 Feb 2008
Phil Mickelson won his first PGA Tour event at the Riviera Country Club when he edged clear of Jeff Quinney over the final nine holes of the Northern Trust Open to win by two.
Despite a great passion for the golf course at Riviera, Mickelson has, in the main, not done well in this event although he was beaten in a playoff by Charles Howell III twelve months ago in one of his few recent visits here.
Mickelson said earlier in the week how much a win in this event would mean.
“I think the history of the golf course is one of the things. Also, it was my second Tour event I ever played in the L.A. Open and playing Riviera with so much history and coming out here and watching and partaking in the event as a teenager just has a special place in my heart. I felt heading into this week, I was really close to playing really well.”
“I’ve missed the tournament for a few years because it was over extending my schedule and now I’ve got a great system. It never even dawned on me to commute and this has worked out great,” added Mickelson referring to a decision to commute daily by helicopter to his home in Rancho Santa Fe.
“I get to be at home for dinner, see the kids, sleep in my own bed, and I think that’s helped me play well here. I think that’s been a big plus, because it doesn’t feel like it’s an away week. It doesn’t feel like I’m travelling. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been out on the road very long.”
Mickelson, with thirty-two wins prior to today, and Quinney, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour, established a break on the field through nine holes and in fact so much of a break that Quinney was at 12 under and Mickelson at 11 under and third place was back at 7 under.
Quinney had taken the lead off Mickelson with a two shot swing at the 9th and he led by one into the final nine holes. A birdie at the 10th after Mickelson holed from 6 feet at the reachable par four had the pair tied at 12 under and they would remain that way until the 13th.
The first sign of final round nerves for Quinney came when he three putted the 13th and when he failed to get up and down from behind the 14th green he was two behind. Quinney pulled his second to the 15th and failed to get up and down again and had effectively put the final nail in his own coffin, although a par putt miss by Mickelson at the same hole offered at least a ray of hope.
When Quinney three putted the 17th however Mickelson took a three shot lead into the final hole at Riviera and although Quinney birdied from 20 feet, Mickelson was able to par and win by two.
Mickelson now won 33 times on the PGA Tour and his missed cut last week at Pebble Beach aside he continues some very good early season form. His match ups with Tiger at upcoming events, especially at the Masters, will be fascinating.
In a share of third place were Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald with 5th place shared by Scott Verplank and the rapidly improving Ryuji Imada.
The best of the Australians were Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby in 7th place, Adam Scott warmed up nicely for next week’s Accenture with a 14th place finish, Nathan Green and Peter Lonard were 22nd, Aaron Baddeley 46th and Mathew Goggin 68th.
The PGA Tour moves back to Arizona for this week’s Accenture Match Play Championship. Those who are not eligible will have the choice of playing the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico.
