Mickelson's 'day' finally comes with Masters win

By Mike Lopresti
Gannett News Service

AUGUSTA, Ga. — In the end, he was out there alone, a 33-year-old man on a classic Masters Sunday, 18 feet away from changing his legacy and his life.

Phil Mickelson, left, hugs last year's Masters winner, Canada's Mike Weir, after receiving his green jacket for winning the Masters championship with a 9-under-par at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. Associated Press

So it was. And after Mickelson had drained a birdie putt that will live as long as Augusta National does, he picked up 2-year-old daughter Sophia, and said the words he has waited all his life to ask.

"Daddy won," he said, to a little girl who will understand better one day. "Can you believe it?"

Believe it. Believe that Phil Mickelson at last won a major, after a career of coming close.

Believe that he birdied five of his last seven holes yesterday on his way to a 69, and needed every one of them to turn back Ernie Els.

Believe that he overcame so much.

The past. The pressure. The course.

Two eagles and a stirring 67 by Els.

Three of his own bogeys in four holes on the front, including No. 5, when he needed two sand wedges to get out of the same bunker, looking like the Phil Mickelson who used to find misfortune wherever it was on a Sunday at a major.

But everything changed when his 18-foot downhill putt caught the left side of the cup, circled around the edge as if fate was still undecided, and finally dropped, breaking a tie with Els. It made him the fourth man to win the Masters with a birdie on his final putt, and none could have been any happier.

"To have it such a difficult journey," Mickelson said, "it makes it that much sweeter.

"I'll remember this day forever."

He finished at 9-under par for the tournament, one shot better than Els, who had done everything he could, and was quietly practicing on the putting green, getting ready for a playoff that never came.

"You're helpless then, aren't you?" Els said. "I played as well as I could. What more can you do? It's in another guy's hands.

"Phil deserved this one. He won this one. He didn't lose it like some of the other ones. He won this one and full credit to him."

It was an unforgettable finish to a masterpiece Sunday. A day of mighty roars, and heroic shots.

Not just from Els, roaring into the lead with an eagle on No. 8 and another on No. 13, seemingly closing in on his fourth major.

Not just from Mickelson, who had fallen behind with his wobbly front side, and was three back of Els before he began his birdie binge at No. 12.

But also from K.J. Choi, holing a 5-iron from 220 yards for only the third eagle on No. 11 in Masters' history, and finishing in third place, three shots back, to make Korea proud.

From Sergio Garcia, with the best round of the tournament — a 66 that carried him from 11 shots behind to two. He tied Bernhard Langer for fourth.

From Casey Wittenberg, whose back nine 31 was the best ever for an amateur in a Masters.

From Padraig Harrington, acing No. 16 with a 7-iron, and Kirk Triplett doing the same thing 10 minutes later with a 6-iron, ending up flat on his back in shock, which everyone almost was by that point.

Even a heartbroken man could appreciate what was happening.

"It was great stuff," Els said. "It was great golf."

It was on the same No. 16 that Sunday came to a full boil. When Mickelson rolled in an 18-foot putt on No. 16 — his fourth birdie in five holes — he caught Els.

Els heard the thunder, as he pondered a second shot on No. 18 that had to be hit out of a fairway bunker.

It ended 20 feet from the cup. A two-putt par. "I played the back nine," Els said later, "as well as I've ever played them."

But would that be enough?

"I always had a sense that this was my year," Els said. "I gave it my absolute best."

He calmly ate an apple as Mickelson came to No. 18. Then Els went to the putting green.

No. 18 was the second-toughest hole in this Masters. But Mickelson had his confidence back, relit when he sank a crucial par-saving putt on No. 10 to wash away the bad taste from the front side, and inflamed with a 12-foot birdie on No. 12, which he badly needed after hearing the roar from Els' second eagle.

"All I wanted," Mickelson said of No. 18, " was a chance."

His tee shot left him 162 yards from the pin. An 8-iron left him 18 feet away, looking downhill.

Then came a break. Playing partner Chris DiMarco, the third-round co-leader who wilted to a 76, hit a bunker shot that stopped just three inches back of Mickelson's ball.

So Mickelson would get a sneak preview of the biggest putt of his life.

"I had a great look at his entire putt," he said. "Every inch of break."

DiMarco's putt missed just left. Mickelson decided on six inches of break, took a last look, and let it go.

"I didn't think there was anyway he would miss it," DiMarco said. "It was just time."

Els was left to take what he could from an honorable second.

"It's very tough for me," he said, "to explain exactly what I feel right now."

Meanwhile, Mickelson had won in the most distinguished of ways, storming through the back nine yesterday at Augusta. His 31 there was the best closing kick for a champion since Jack Nicklaus, 18 years ago.

"I was shooting for birdies. I was going after it," he said. "You don't shoot 31 playing for pars."

All that was left was to slip on the green coat he has yearned for so long, helped by fellow lefthander and 2003 champion Mike Weir.

"I think the most difficult part of this 10-year journey has been just dealing with loses time after time," Mickelson said. "It can wear on you. Except that you just can't let it."

And what would his career had been without a major?

"I had never thought about it," he said. "Nor do I have to."