Golf: Mickelson uneasy over Tiger

A sick Phil Mickelson won the CA Championship yesterday but quickly shot down any suggestion he was ready to assume the mantle of world's greatest golfer.

Mickelson, suffering with what he described as a virus, climbed out of bed long enough to edge fellow American Nick Watney by one stroke at Doral's Blue Monster.

It was his second successive stroke play victory, enough to rise to second in the world rankings, but the wily 38-year-old has been around too long to publicly compare himself with the great Tiger Woods.

"He's the greatest player of all time," Mickelson said, before admitting that he couldn't wait for next month's Masters, the first major of the year.

With Woods back after major knee surgery - he tied for ninth here - and Mickelson in perhaps the best form of his life, it is tempting to suggest Augusta will be the scene of an epic showdown, but golf's not that predictable.

After all, who expected Zach Johnson and Trevor Immelman to win the past two green jackets?

All we can do is wait in anticipation, and recall the way Mickelson dragged himself out of bed barely an hour before his final round tee time before plotting his way to his first World Golf Championships victory with a final round 69 for a 19-under 269 total.

He was so ill on Sunday that he went to a local hospital to have an intravenous drip administered.

"I had the cold sweats so I took a hot shower and that didn't do it and a hot bath almost burned myself trying to get warmed up. That's when I decided to go," he revealed. "I was in there for a few hours and had two big bags of fluid put in me and a little bit of medicine to help out.

"I was in bed until 1.30 today and I didn't have any energy, but I knew I was going to play well," he said. "That's why they say beware of the injured golfer.

"I haven't eaten in three days. I got half a sandwich and a banana down today, which is the best I've done," said Mickelson.

- AAP