Mickelson Does More Than Hope

There have been many good days for Phil Mickelson, just not lately. For a guy who has won more than $24 million in prize money, you have to say he’s held up well under the new tag of the puzzling underachiever, a label applied to him last year when he was very un-Phil ... or un-Phil-filled, if you wish, failing to win a tournament for the first time in five years.

Right now, it’s clear that the bad old days are officially over for Mickelson, the once and perhaps future sparring partner for Tiger Woods who played his first tournament since October and won it, bagging the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

It was the typical Phil high-wire act and a performance that had the usual Mickelson fingerprints all over it.

Mickelson shot a final round 68 on Sunday on the Palmer Course at PGA West, birdied the last hole to get into a playoff with Skip Kendall, then birdied the first playoff hole to claim the $810,000 winner’s share of the $4.5-million purse.

Mickelson and Kendall were tied after 90 holes at 30-under-par 330 -- the winning total for the third consecutive year. Mickelson was more concerned about the clock than numbers.

“It’s been a long time since I won a tournament,” said Mickelson, whose last victory came at Hartford in June 2002.

“I didn’t want to force or press the issue. I felt like if I could play well or play better, it would slowly come around. I don’t want to say it’s surprising, but it’s very, very rewarding to have it happen so quickly.”

As for Kendall, it’s not happening as quickly. The 39-year-old, 12-year pro from Florida has played 294 PGA Tour events without a victory. He is also winless in three playoffs. What’s more, Kendall’s playoff hole Sunday was the only time in three tries that he didn’t birdie it this week.

“It’s hard to take,” said Kendall, who shared the first-round lead and shot a 65 on Sunday. “It hurts. You know, I don’t know what to say. I know I have the game to win out here. Just got to get over the hump somehow. It was almost today.”

That’s sort of what Jay Haas could be saying. Haas, second last year, closed with a 67 and was third, one shot out of the playoff.

“That’s all I can ask,” he said. “To give myself an opportunity.”

Jonathan Kaye finished with a 64 and claimed fourth place, and Ben Crane, Jesper Parnevik and Kenny Perry tied for fifth.

For Mickelson, the fifth and final round over the lush fairways and speedy greens at the Palmer Course at PGA West was a roller-coaster ride. Mickelson birdied five of the first seven holes and had a two-shot lead over Kirk Triplett, but the rest of the way was typical Phil.

He hit it into the water to bogey No. 9 and three-putted the 10th for another bogey. Mickelson got a shot back when he birdied the par-five 11th, but three-putted the par-five 14th and made another bogey.

Kendall gave Mickelson one small opening and it was costly for Kendall.

Leading Mickelson by a shot, he missed the green at the par-three 17th with a wedge. The only stance he had for his second shot was in the bunker, the ball about waist high in the rough.

All Kendall could do was to get the ball on the green, which he did, but he missed a 12-foot putt for par and Mickelson was very much back in the game.

He was one group ahead of Mickelson, so Kendall had a handle on what he needed to do, which was to birdie the 543-yard par-five 18th. That’s what he did once he chipped it close.

It was enough to make Mickelson dizzy.

“All of a sudden, I go from well out in front to trailing to being the chaser,” Mickelson said. “I was fortunate just to get in the playoff, I felt.”

Then it was Mickelson’s turn. One shot down with one hole left, Mickelson sent a four-iron to the right of the green, but just to the left of the flag, which was on the top shelf. He chipped into the bank, stopped the ball three feet from the hole and rolled in the putt that meant birdie and a playoff.

The playoff was at No. 18 and Mickelson once again put his four-iron second-shot in about the same place, in the rough just to the right of the flagstick.

But the news for Kendall wasn’t as good. He hit a five-wood and the ball landed in thick rough to the left and below the hole. All he could do was get the ball 25 feet below the hole.

The end was swift. Mickelson chipped to four feet, watched Kendall’s putt roll past on the right, and then knocked in his birdie putt to end it.

It was Mickelson’s 23rd victory and his second at the Hope in three years. His career earnings of $24,583,106 is No. 4 in the accounting books, behind Woods, Davis Love III and Vijay Singh.

What Mickelson liked best was that his work during the off-season on his driving, irons and putting showed positive results ... plus the fact that 2003 is history.

“My confidence just slowly, slowly dwindled,” he said. “I don’t even want to think about last year.”

As much as Mickelson looked like the same old Phil, he also seemed to change a bit. He laid up at the par-five 14th and, although he bogeyed it with a three-putt, it was the right play. And he played the 18th hole safe both times, the 90th hole and the first playoff hole, twice choosing the safe route to the right of the green.

This new Mickelson may take some getting used to, but there’s one thing that’s recognizable right off the bat. That’s him holding the trophy.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Top Finishers

Top finishers in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (x-won on first playoff hole vs. Kendall; Complete scores, D11):

330 (-30)--$810,000

x-Phil Mickelson...68-63-64-67-68

330 (-30)--$486,000

Skip Kendall...63-68-68-66-65

331 (-29)--$306,000

Jay Haas...65-68-64-67-67

332 (-28)--$216,000

Jonathan Kaye...67-70-66-65-64

334 (-26)--$164,250

Ben Crane...68-64-65-69-68

Jesper Parnevik...67-68-66-65-68

Kenny Perry...64-66-69-64-71

335 (-25)--$139,500

Bernhard Langer...67-67-69-68-64

*

Exclusive Club

A look at the last 10 winners of the Bob Hope tournament:

*--* Year Golfer Score Money 2004 Phil Mickelson 330 (-30) $810,000 2003 Mike Weir 330 (-30) $810,000 2002 Phil Mickelson 330 (-30) $720,000 2001 Joe Durant 324 (-36) $630,000 2000 Jesper Parnevik 331 (-29) $540,000 1999 David Duval 334 (-26) $540,000 1998 Fred Couples 332 (-28) $414,000 1997 John Cook 327 (-33) $270,000 1996 Mark Brooks 337 (-23) $234,000 1995 Kenny Perry 335 (-25) $216,000

*--*