Mickelson wins with birdie at 18
Another memorable shot, and another victory for Phil Mickelson's impressive résumé.
Not the 9-foot birdie putt on the final hole that gave him a 1-stroke victory at the Crowne Plaza Invitational on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas. Instead, it was the 140-yard wedge from heavy rough that set it up: when Mickelson had to hit under one tree and over another, the ball clipping branches while headed sky-high.
"Just lucky," Mickelson said, with a smile. "I'm as surprised as anybody I was able to make a 3 from over there."
Once Mickelson hit the ball -- "it just came off perfectly," he said -- he couldn't see it through the branches at Colonial Country Club. So he took a couple of steps before jogging through the trees into an opening just in time to see the ball fall back to earth near the flag.
One of Mickelson's best shots ever?
"Probably top five," Lefty responded, pointing out that he had already discussed that with his wife, Amy.
"That's what No. 2s in the world do," said Rod Pampling, who blew a 2-stroke lead on the back nine. "Those guys make those kinds of shots."
The birdie closed out a round of 2-under 68 that got Mickelson to 14-under 266, a stroke better than Pampling (68) and Tim Clark (66) for his second victory at Colonial.
It was the 34th career victory for Mickelson, who also won the Northern Trust Open in February.
"Came close again at the end," said Pampling, who finished third at Colonial two years after a double bogey at No. 15. "I hope next time, I'll be good to go."
Senior PGA Championship: Jay Haas overcame a shaky putter during a topsy-turvy final round on unmercifully stingy Oak Hill to hang on and win his second Senior PGA Championship in three years.
Haas endured a 5-bogey, 1-birdie round of 74 to finish the tournament at 7-over 287 and claim the $360,000 first prize at Rochester, N.Y.
Bernhard Langer, the third-round leader, finished second, a shot back after posting a 76 that he began with a double-bogey after striking a spectator with his opening tee shot.
Scott Hoch, Joey Sindelar and 1987 U.S. Open-winner Scott Simpson finished tied for third,2 shots back.
LPGA Corning Classic: Leta Lindley's winning birdie came on the first hole of a playoff with Jeong Jang -- Lindley's first career victory in her 295th professional start on tour -- as she won the LPGA Corning (N.Y.) Classic.
Lindley, who lost a two-hole playoff with Chris Johnson at the 1997 McDonald's Championship, won $225,000 to boost her earnings for the year to $332,814.
Sun Young Yoo (66) and Mi Hyun Kim (66) finished in a tie for third at 10 under.
BMW PGA Championship: Miguel Angel Jimenez won on the second playoff hole, sinking a 2-foot birdie to beat Oliver Wilson to win the BMW PGA Championship at Virginia Water, England
The 44-year-old Spaniard, who had a hole-in-one in his round of 68, struck his second shot at No. 18 to within 30 feet and 2-putted to claim his 15th European Tour victory.