Golf: Mickelson seals second major with birdie on 18

Phil Mickelson holds his trophy after winning the 2005 PGA Championship. Picture / Reuters

SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey - Phil Mickelson clinched his second major title with a one-shot victory in the weather-delayed US PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club's Lower Course this morning (NZT).


Left-hander Mickelson, one stroke ahead with five holes remaining when lightning forced a suspension in final-round play on Sunday, completed a two-over-par 72 to finish at four-under 276.


Australian Steve Elkington, the 1995 champion at Riviera, carded a 71 to share second place with Denmark's Thomas Bjorn (72) with world number one Tiger Woods a further stroke back in a tie for fourth, having closed with a 68 on Sunday.


With Elkington and Bjorn in the clubhouse at three under par, 2004 US Masters champion Mickelson stepped on to the par-five 18th tee needing a birdie to seal his second major championship.


He launched a huge drive down the middle and, after twice tapping the Jack Nicklaus plaque embedded in the centre of the fairway for good luck, might have hoped for better fortune when his second shot sailed right into deep greenside rough.


There was no panic, however, as the ice-cool Mickelson responded with a perfect flop shot to leave him a straightforward three-foot putt for the title.


As the sun broke through the cloud cover to bathe the 18th green in sunlight, Mickelson drained the putt and acknowledged his first US PGA title with a small fist pump and a big sigh of relief.


"This has been an amazing week. I've really enjoyed myself and the people here in New Jersey just treated me and my wife amazing," said a tearful Mickelson after being surrounded by his wife Amy and oldest daughters Amanda Brynn and Sophia Isabel.


"To win here, where Jack Nicklaus has won a couple of times, makes it a memorable and very special week for me. I knew I was hitting the ball well and I just gave that plaque a little touch for some good karma." The plaque on the 18th fairway marks the spot from where Nicklaus struck a superb one-iron approach to 22 feet to seal a four-shot victory at the 1967 US Open.


"When I hit the second shot on 18, I knew I needed a birdie to win," added Mickelson, who moved ahead of Ernie Els to number three in the world rankings with his triumph.


"I had been a little tentative on some shots out of the rough earlier in the week, I didn't go in aggressive enough," he said of the situation he faced with his third shot at the last.


"The lie was okay; it wasn't bad but it was sitting down a little bit. I went in aggressively and the ball popped up beautifully and trickled by the hole. It was a great feeling to see it come out the way I wanted it to." The overcast, cool conditions that greeted the players on Monday were in sharp contrast to the sweltering record-breaking temperatures they endured over the first four days of the tournament.


Mickelson got his day off to a positive start when he returned to the 14th green and calmly tapped in a three-foot putt for par.


However, the 35-year-old Californian relinquished the lead when he bogeyed the par-three 16th after finding a bunker off the tee and was deadlocked with Elkington at three under.


That would be his only wobble, though. World number four Mickelson held his nerve over the closing par-fives, lipping out with his birdie attempt on 17 before securing his fourth PGA Tour win of the season and a US$1.17 million ($1.67 million) winner's cheque.


"I think Phil was in the best position playing last," said Elkington, who missed a birdie chance of his own at the 18th from 10 feet.


"Would have been nice to be able to make four on 18 to put pressure on him, rather than (him) having a free shot at a birdie. I knew if I could keep the pressure on him, he would have to keep hitting good shots." Bjorn, bidding to become the first European to win the tournament since Scotland-born Tommy Armour 75 years ago, also missed a birdie opportunity at the last, his 20-foot attempt seeming destined to drop until it lipped out.


"You know, Phil deserves this more than anybody," said the Dane. "He's not a one-major guy; he's a 10-major guy. He's going to go on now and contend for majors as he's always done, but it's going to be easier and easier for him to win them now."

The softer conditions proved tricky for Bjorn and defending champion Vijay Singh, who missed short par putts on 15 and 16 respectively to slide down the leaderboard.


Although Bjorn recovered with a birdie on 17 to get back into the chase, Fijian Singh was never able to find his rhythm and ended his round with another bogey on 18 for a 74 and a share of 10th at even-par 280.


- REUTERS