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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida - Phil Mickelson overhauled playing partner Sean O'Hair with a consummate exhibition of golf to clinch his 31st PGA Tour golf title by two shots at the Players Championship today.
One behind O'Hair at the start of a muggy day at the Tournament Players Club Sawgrass, Mickelson fired a three-under-par 69 to triumph for the first time in the tour's flagship event.
The American left-hander, competing in his third tournament since switching allegiance to swing coach Butch Harmon, could afford the luxury of a bogey at the last to finish at 11-under 277.
Compatriot O'Hair duelled with Mickelson for most of the day before twice finding water at the infamous par-three 17th on his way to a 76 and out of contention in 11th place.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia, six strokes off the pace at the start of the day, birdied four of the last five holes for a 66 to finish runner-up at nine under.
Mickelson, one behind the pacesetting O'Hair overnight, immediately drew level at the top of the leaderboard by rolling in a 24-foot birdie putt at the first.
Both players then birdied the par-five second to forge four strokes clear at 10 under as the tournament effectively became a two-horse race.
Mickelson wasted a good opportunity to claim the outright lead when he missed a birdie putt from inside six feet at the par-four fifth but he made amends two holes later.
After a perfect drive and an approach to 14 feet at the par-four seventh, he coolly sank the putt to move one stroke clear.
O'Hair did well to save par at the same hole, getting up and down from fluffy rough beside the green, before regaining a share of the lead with a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-five ninth.
O'Hair dropped his first shot of the day at the par-four 10th, finding a bunker off the tee and overshooting the green with his approach.
Mickelson parred the hole to regain the lead before doubling his advantage with a birdie-four at the 558-yard 11th after hitting a delicate lob wedge to four feet.
O'Hair missed a six-footer for birdie at the 16th before his victory hopes disappeared when he twice found water behind the island green on 17 to run up a quadruple-bogey seven.
World number one Tiger Woods began the day languishing in a tie for 64th but ended the week with a smile on his face and a sparkling five-under-par 67.
The putts finally began to drop for the 2001 champion who covered the last 14 holes in seven under.
"I didn't play that much better today but I had a run from five through 12 where I one-putted every hole," Woods told reporters after tying for 37th on level-par 288.
"The last two days, I've had 12 lip-outs from eight feet and out and I knew I could shoot a round in the 60s here if I'd just make a few putts. And I did today."
Woods needed only 27 putts to complete his lowest round at Sawgrass since he closed with a 67 in 2001 to win the title for the only time.
- REUTERS
