US star Phil Mickelson won his third Masters title and fourth major crown in dramatic fashion on today while Tiger Woods could only ponder his mistakes and wonder what might have been.
Mickelson fired three birdies in four holes starting at the par-three 12th and hit an epic approach at 13, his view of the green blocked by a tree, on the way to a bogey-free five-under par 67 and a three-stroke victory over Lee Westwood.
The 39-year-old left-hander finished 72 holes on 16-under par 272 with Englishman Westwood settling for second, his best major finish, by a stroke over American Anthony Kim with Woods and South Korean K.J. Choi fourth on 277.
Mickelson claimed a share of fourth on the all-time Augusta National Golf Club win list, half the record total of Jack Nicklaus and one shy of Woods and Arnold Palmer.
Mickelson, wearing a pink anti-cancer ribbon on his cap, shared a tearful hug with wife Amy behind the 18th green as the crowd cheered with joy. She had been bed-ridden all week in her first travel to an event in 11 months.
The contrast was stark between fan favorite Mickelson, who took time away from golf to be with wife Amy and his mother as they fight breast cancer, and Woods, whose layoff came after a humiliating betrayal of wife Elin, with more than a dozen women claiming sexual affairs with him.
Kim, who began the day seven strokes off the pace, fired a final-round 65 to put himself in the hunt, hitting back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14, making eagle at 15 and another birdie at 16.
Mickelson, who eagled the par-five 13th and par-four 14th and barely settled for birdie at the par-five 15th in round three, birdied the 12th for a one-stroke lead but then landed his tee shot Sunday at 13 in the trees.
Mickelson’s ball had a path to the green but the shot left him standing behind a tree. Mickelson blasted the ball 205 yards off the pine needles and just three feet from the cup.
While he missed the eagle putt, the birdie put Mickelson two atop Kim and playing partner Lee Westwood of England. Another birdie at the 15th gave Mickelson a three-stroke edge.
Westwood made a birdie at 17 to keep the pressure on until the final hole but Mickelson birdied the last to complete the emotional triumph.
Fred Couples, trying to become the oldest major winner at age 50, fired a 70 and settled for sixth on 279.
John
Guest
Then again, prize money for equal third is over $US400,000 which is not bad for 4 days of hitting a ball around. You did not really expect Woods to win his first tournament back , did you?
Jameswm
Guest
Am I the only one who's noticed how much Tiger moves his head at impact, especially with his woods (excuse the pun). Contrast his swing with the technically solid and relaxed KJ Choi, his playing partner. Why has Woods never done anything about this - making his swing more efficient?
Steve Darke
Guest
"US star Phil Mickelson won his third Masters title and fourth major crown in dramatic fashion on today while Tiger Woods could only ponder his mistakes and wonder what might have been." What? Why bother even having Wood's name in your first sentence? He wasn't even it in it. Your opening sentence makes it sound like Tiger lost in a playoff on the 5th hole of sudden death, when in fact he was out of it from the first hole. I'll tell you what "could have been": nothing. zero. zip Tiger was not even close to winning this thing. Give every other player some credit.
Warren
Guest
Contrast the interviews of Woods revolving around 'I' - "I never did this, I never did that etc" with that of Westwood "Mickelson deserved the win, he's had a tough time lately, etc". Sums it up for me. Woods is a great golfer but an ungracious man. Warren