Posted on: Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Mickelson heads to Masters a winner
By Tom Saladino
Associated Press
DULUTH, Ga. — Phil Mickelson made a 20-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole yesterday to win the BellSouth Classic over Rich Beem and give the defending Masters champion momentum heading to Augusta, Ga.
John Bazemore • Associated Press Brandt and Arjun were eliminated on the first playoff hole and Olazabal was out after the third playoff hole.
"There were probably six to 10 people who could have won this tournament. I don't know how I dodged the bullet," Mickelson said. "I'm looking forward to the Masters."
Mickelson won it on the par-4, 455-yard 17th hole when he hit his drive in the fairway and put his second shot 20 feet from the hole before sinking the putt.
Beem, who hasn't won since the PGA Championship in 2002, hit into a fairway bunker on the final playoff hole. His second shot was about 20 yards short of the green where he pitched to about 2 feet, setting up a par putt which wasn't needed.
Olazabal, the two-time Masters champion, had a chance to win on the par-5, 576-yard 18th in regulation to avoid a playoff, but missed a 5-foot birdie putt and settled for par and 69.
He also had a second chance to win on the first playoff hole, missing another 5-foot birdie putt on No. 18. He was eliminated on the third playoff hole when he hit two balls in the water on 18.
"I had a chance to win it (in regulation) and didn't. Had a second chance and missed it," Olazabal said.
Mickelson (69), Beem (68), Brandt (67) and little known Atwal (64), a native of India and a regular on the Asian tour for eight years, each birdied their last hole to earn a playoff berth along with Olazabal.
Mickelson and Beem had pars on the first playoff hole to advance to the second playoff hole along with Olazabal. Brandt and Atwal each hit into the water that guarded the green on 18, shot over par and were eliminated.
Olazabal, Mickelson and Beem each parred the second playoff hole, the 455-yard, par 4, to send it back to 18 for the third playoff hole.
Mickelson and Beem advanced to the fourth playoff hole when each had tap-in birdies on No. 18.
With the weather sunny and in the 70s, the scores came down yesterday after the first two rounds were washed out by rain on Thursday and Friday and delayed 99 minutes Saturday at the TPC at Sugar Loaf.
Mickelson, the tour's leading money-winner, earned $900,000 of the $5 million purse.
The Masters opens Thursday at Augusta National.
Mickelson, Jose Maria Olazabal, Beem, Jobe Brandt and Arjun Atwal tied at 8-under-par 208 after the final round in the rain-shortened 54-hole tournament to set up the five-man playoff.
Phil Mickelson sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole to win the BellSouth Classic.
