Mickelson Captures Golf Title

Golfer Phil Mickelson has competed in the Andy Williams Open at Torrey Pines and the Los Angeles Open at the Riviera Country Club. He was named national junior player of the year in 1986 and 1987, and he won the junior Tournament of Champions title last July.

Somehow, the San Diego Section boys’ high school individual golf title did not seem to be a necessary piece of Mickelson’s career. It’s not as if Mickelson, from the University of San Diego High School, had a dusty spot in his trophy case waiting to be filled.

But it was important to Mickelson, not because he hadn’t won it, but perhaps because of who had. It is no secret that Mickelson and the two-time defending champion, Harry Rudolph of La Jolla, are the best of rivals.

Wednesday, Mickelson finally won the tournament Rudolph had dominated the previous two years. Mickelson shot a five-under-par 66 for a 36-hole total of 135 on Singing Hills’ 6,132-yard Oak Glen Course. That broke the tournament record of 140 set by Rudolph on the same course last year.

The victory was doubly satisfying for Mickelson, who overcame Rudolph’s one-shot lead after the first round. Last year, Mickelson’s two-stroke lead evaporated on the back nine, and his chances for the title bounced off a shed roof on the par-5 18th hole.

This time, Mickelson took a three-shot lead to the final hole. And he had no problem there, chipping in from 20 yards out for an eagle.

“(After last year) I just wanted to come back and win it,” Mickelson said. “Instead of a 3-wood, I took a driver and just said, ‘Fade it.’ ”

Rudolph, the only player to win two section titles, tied with Justin Hicks of San Diego High and Pat Patterson of Carlsbad four strokes back at 139. Rudolph parred the first playoff hole for second. Patterson finished third with a birdie on the second playoff hole.

Rudolph shot 68-71, and Hicks had rounds of 70-69. Patterson shot a 32 on the front nine Wednesday and finished with a 67 to go with Tuesday’s 72.

Rudolph held his one-shot lead over Mickelson and Hicks until the seventh hole, where he continued a day-long trend of hitting left by putting his tee shot on the 488-yard par-5 out of bounds.

The drive cost Rudolph two shots, and he wound up with a triple-bogey eight after his next shot landed in the bunker. While Rudolph was having his problems at 7, Mickelson made a 13-foot putt for a birdie, taking a three-stroke lead over Rudolph and a two-shot edge over Hicks, who bogeyed.

Hicks birdied No. 8 and finished the front nine tied when Mickelson bogeyed the ninth. But Mickelson took the lead for good with a birdie on No. 10. Rudolph tried to rally and cut his deficit to two shots on the 14th and 15th holes, both par 3s.

Rudolph birdied the 18th to tie Hicks, but his bid for a third consecutive title ended when Mickelson sank his chip shot.

“(The tournament) was something I could get up for finally,” Mickelson said. “The last two years I just played. After playing in the Andy Williams and L.A. Open, I couldn’t get up.

“When you finally do, it’s a neat feeling to get those butterflies back.”

The top 10 finishers who are not members of the section team champion and runner-up--Carlsbad and La Jolla--qualified for the Southern California championship tournament June 6 at the La Jolla Country Club.