It has been 20 years since Phil Mickelson first stepped inside the ropes at Riviera, a 17-year-old amateur in awe of the fabled course off Sunset Boulevard, inspired by names like Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, and Byron Nelson that were on the trophy.
Lefty finally joined them yesterday, adding to his impressive collection of PGA Tour titles on the Left Coast.
Mickelson made two clutch putts on the back nine, seized control when Jeff Quinney self-destructed with the putter, and took a relaxing walk up the 18th fairway with a victory he felt was a long time coming.
He closed with a 1-under 70 for a two-shot victory in the
"The fact I haven't won this and it has taken me so long to win makes it that much more special," said Mickelson, who finished at 12-under 272.
A year ago, Mickelson was poised to win until he bogeyed the 18th hole and lost in a playoff against Charles Howell. This time, he was steady down the stretch as Quinney's putter changed from a magic wand to a ball and chain.
He made four straight putts outside 10 feet, only to make three straight bogeys starting on the 13th hole. The first two came from missing consecutive par putts from 7 feet that allowed Mickelson a cushion over the closing holes.
"I just put a little too much pressure on the putter on the back nine," said Quinney, who made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that only changed the final score. He closed with a 71.
Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald each shot 68 and tied for third, although this was a two-man race from the start.
Mickelson made his PGA Tour debut at Torrey Pines at age 17, then showed up a week later at Riviera. As much as the course impressed him, it also confounded him over the years, and he played there sparingly until returning with a renewed commitment last year.
"I didn't understand the nuances of this golf course, where you can and can't hit it," he said.
Champions - Scott Hoch made an 8-foot birdie putt on the last hole of regulation to get in a four-way playoff, then made another 8-footer on the first playoff hole to win The ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla.
"I just said, 'Look, let's end it here. I don't want to play anymore, anything else can happen,' " said Hoch. "Nick Price had the same putt, but longer [in regulation]. He hit a good putt, but it dove on him."
Hoch's dived right in the hole to win $240,000 to go with the $247,500 he took home a week earlier in winning the
Tom Jenkins, Tom Kite, and Brad Bryant already had made their pars before Hoch. All four had finished at 14-under-par 202, with Kite and Bryant shooting 7-under 65s.
Nationwide - American Darron Stiles won the New Zealand PGA in Christchurch, closing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke victory in the tournament reduced to 36 holes because of rain.
European - Felipe Aguilar birdied the 18th hole and, after Jeev Milkha Singh missed a 4-foot-par putt, won the Indonesia Open in Jakarta Astro.
