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CALIFORNIA - Charles Howell III avoided the 11th runner-up spot of his golf career by beating fellow-American Phil Mickelson in a playoff for the Nissan Open today.
Augusta native Howell, who birdied three of the last five holes in regulation play, sealed victory with a par-three on the third extra hole to clinch his second PGA Tour title.
Mickelson, who won last week's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am by five shots, missed a 10-footer there to save par after both players failed to reach the green off the tee.
Howell rolled in his victory putt from four feet, raised his right arm and looked up skywards in relief before removing his cap.
The pair finished the 72 regulation holes on 16-under-par 268, Howell firing a seven-birdie 65 and Mickelson bogeying the last for a 68.
Ernie Els, the 1999 champion, returned a 67 to share third place on 13 under with 2001 winner Robert Allenby of Australia (68) and world number two Jim Furyk (67).
For much of a sun-drenched day at Riviera Country Club, the tournament appeared to be firmly within Mickelson's grasp.
A stroke in front of the chasing pack overnight, he quickly stretched his lead to four shots with three birdies in the first five holes.
He then surprisingly stumbled with an uncharacteristic bogey at the par-four ninth, where he failed to reach the green in two, duffed his chip and two-putted for a five.
Moments later, Mickelson's advantage was trimmed to just one when Els hit a delicate chip at the par-four 10th to set up his fifth birdie of the day.
Although Els fell back over the closing stretch, Mickelson again seemed to regain control with birdies on 10 and 11, the first of them being met with a celebratory fist pump.
However, Mickelson's putter let him down badly over the next few holes.
He ran up a three-putt bogey at the par-four 13th, left a birdie attempt inches short at the 15th and missed a four-foot birdie putt at the 16th.
Although he picked up his fifth shot at the par-five 17th, where a booming drive left with him a four-iron second into the green, he bogeyed the last after pulling his drive into the left rough.
Howell, who began the final round three strokes off the pace, mounted his challenge with a storming back nine of four-under 32.
He birdied the two par-fives, 11 and 17, and rolled in putts from 18 and 33 feet at the par-three 14th and 16th to take the tournament into a playoff.
- REUTERS
