Golfing News

Phil Mickleson and Nick Watney, tied going into the final round of the World Golf Championships-CA Championship in Miami, Florida on Sunday, waged a battle worthy of television. At the end of the day, Mickelson took the win and his first-ever WGC title.

Mickelson shot a final round 69, one better than Watney, to finish at 19-under par for his 36th career PGA TOUR victory. It wasn’t without drama on both sides.

The two were never more than a shot apart until the 9th tee, after Watney birdied No. 7 and Mickelson birdied the par-5 8th after Watney frittered away a birdie chance of his own. When Mickelson hit his tee shot into the par-3 9th to about 10 feet, and Watney completely airmailed the green, many thought the margin would be greater going to teh back nine.

But Watney, going between a TV tower and grandstand and having about 10 feet of green to work with, remarkably holed the shot, and Mickelson’s birdie try slid by. Then Watney eagled the par-5 1-th to Mickelson’s birdie to tie the event again.

But Watney bogied the 11th and 12th holes, putting him behind, but just by one shot as Mickelson bogied No. 12 after a bad tee shot into palmetto bushes. The two matched pars the rest of the way, and Mickelson tapped in on 18 for a 1-shot win.

Jim Furyk was third at 16-under par. World Number One, Tiger Woods, rallied with matching 68s on the weekend to manage a 9th place finish at 11-under.

The PGA TOUR will cross the state of Florida and play the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook, near Tampa, next week.

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