Mickelson finally wins at Riviera
Published 11:17 pm Sunday, February 17, 2008
LOS ANGELES — It has been 20 years since Phil Mickelson first stepped inside the ropes at Riviera, a 17-year-old amateur in awe of the fabled course off Sunset Boulevard, inspired by names like Hogan, Snead and Nelson that were on the trophy.
Lefty finally joined them on Sunday, adding to his impressive collection of PGA Tour titles on the Left Coast.
Mickelson made two clutch putts on the back nine, seized control when Jeff Quinney self-destructed with the putter, and took a relaxing walk up the 18th fairway with a victory he felt was a long time coming.
He closed with a 1-under 70 for a two-shot victory, the 33rd of his career, with 16 of those in California and Arizona.
“The fact I haven’t won this and it has taken me so long to win makes it that much more special,” Mickelson said.
“I didn’t understand the nuances of this golf course, where you can and can’t hit it,” he added. “And learning those nuances and how to hit the shots into some of these greens has helped me over the years. Last year was when I started to put it together, and I’m fortunate to break through this year.”
A year ago, Lefty was poised to win in L.A. until he bogeyed the 18th hole and lost in a playoff against Charles Howell III. This time, he was steady down the stretch as Quinney’s putter changed from a magic wand to a ball-and-chain.
He made four straight putts outside 10 feet, only to make three straight bogeys starting on the 13th hole. The first two came from missing consecutive par putts from 7 feet.
“I just put a little too much pressure on the putter on the back nine,” said Quinney, who made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that only changed the final score. He closed with a 71.
British Open champion Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald each shot 68 and tied for third.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Scott Hoch made an 8-foot birdie putt on the last hole of regulation to get in a four-way playoff, then made another 8-footer on the first playoff hole to win The ACE Group Classic, making it back-to-back wins.
Tom Jenkins, Tom Kite and Brad Bryant had already made their pars before Hoch.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Felipe Aguilar finished with a 2-under 68 to cap a dramatic final round and win the Indonesian Open.
The Chilean edged out India’s Jeev Milkha Singh to win the $201,000 first prize with a brilliant birdie on the 18th of the Cengkareng Golf Club’s course.
