Worldwide Golf

PHIL Mickelson signed off on a hugely successful year by beating the cream of the world’s best players to take home his second World Golf Championships title at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

Beginning the final round two shots ahead of Tiger Woods and Nick Watney in the final group, Mickelson held off his playing partners and a superb charge from Ernie Els to step into the winner’s circle for the fourth time in 2009 and the second time at Sheshan International Golf Club having previously won the event in 2007.

“It feels terrific to have won this tournament,” smiled the World No.2. “It has been very special to have a World Golf Championships here in China and to be the champion feels great.

”This is my last event of the year. I won’t be playing again until end of January in the US, and so to finish the year with this victory feels wonderful.”

Mickelson carded a final round 3-under-par 69 for a 17-under-par total to win by a stroke from Els who shot up the leaderboard after firing a course record equalling 9-under-par 63.

Woods was out of sorts and was left trailing in Mickelson’s wake as he could only muster a level-par 72 to finish sixth while Watney also struggled to mount a serious charge, carding a 1-under 72 for fifth place.

Instead of battling with his playing partners, Mickelson was made to fight with the name of Ernie Els which gradually crept up the leaderboard as the round went on – eventually taking the lead with a birdie on the 17^th as Mickelson teed off on 16.

“I knew on 16 I was a shot behind and I needed to make birdie to pull even, and I thought that it was important that I make a birdie on 16 because I was counting on Ernie making a birdie on 18, and I needed to keep pace,” admitted the American.

However, the drivable par 4 16^th which clocks in at just 288 yards yielded only a par for Mickelson after his typically sublime short-game let him down. His drive missed the green and he fluffed his initial flop – sliding under the ball, hitting it straight up so it landed back in his divot - and then bumped it onto the green leaving himself a tricky 18-footer for par. He stepped up and knocked it in, punching the air – acknowledging what a big moment it was for his title charge. “That was the best putt I holed all week,” he said afterwards.

He then went on to birdie the par-3 17^th to put the pressure on Els who then threw his chance of victory away by duffing his 5-wood into the drink on the 18^th. “I had 218 yards to the front of the green, but I was on a severe downslope and I was in between clubs, thinking I couldn’t carry a 4-iron to the front, because I can hit my four iron to about 215,” said the South African, who shot eight birdies and an eagle.

“I tried to take a 5-wood, aim left and hit a big cut. But because of the downhill lie, I kind of stood back on my swing, and I hit the ground first - basically duffed it. For me to come back all of the way, to actually share the lead at that point, was quite nice. I’m disappointed about that, but I’m going to really think about the 63 I shot. I can’t complain.”

Mickelson needed to par the lengthy 18^th for the victory but made hard work of it, twice hacking out of the rough with an 8-iron to get on the green in regulation. The Californian then got down in two with the flat stick to hoist the HSBC Champions trophy for the second time.

“Ernie played one of the greatest rounds, shot a course record, and I was very fortunate to come out on top,” he said. “This feels terrific because I had to fight very hard. Nothing came easy - I didn’t hit it great. The putts weren’t falling, and yet I hung in there and was able to win by one.”