Mickelson feels at home with five-stroke victory

Associated Press

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Despite shots that sailed into the desert and in the water, Phil Mickelson is a winner again, on a course that still feels like home.

Mickelson won the FBR Open by five strokes yesterday, the largest margin of victory in his 24 PGA Tour triumphs.

"It's a lot of fun for us to come back," he said. "Even though we moved away three years ago, we still consider it home."

Mickelson's adventures off the fairway were offset by brilliant shots that led to four birdies in a final-round 3-under 68. He never led by fewer than three strokes yesterday, then capped his round with a 26-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the 18th to the wild cheers of the friendly throng.

"I wasn't really trying to make it," Mickelson said. "I was trying to just get it close, and it fell in."

Afterward, his daughters, 5-year-old Amanda and 3-year-old Sophia, rushed to hug their dad on the 18th green.

"Daddy, there's treats after," the youngest one said.

The victory in the $5.2 million event was worth $936,000, about $700,000 more than Mickelson earned when he won the same tournament nine years ago.

Mickelson finished at 17-under 267 on the Tournament Players Club course. Scott McCarron and Kevin Na, at 21 the youngest player on the PGA Tour, tied for second at 272. McCarron shot his second consecutive 65, and Na had a 69. Na played in the final group with Mickelson and faltered before rallying with birdies on the 14th and 17th for his best finish in his two years on the tour.

Steve Flesch, Tim Herron and David Toms finished at 273. Toms would have finished in second place but double-bogeyed the 18th.

HEINEKEN CLASSIC

Parry outlasts O'Hern in four-hole playoff

MELBOURNE, Australia — Craig Parry kept saving par. Nick O'Hern kept missing putts.

Parry finally birdied the fourth playoff hole and won the Heineken Classic when O'Hern missed a 10-foot putt at Royal Melbourne.

"That was bloody hard work," Parry said. "Each time, I thought I was going to lose."

Parry's 12-foot birdie putt gave him his first title since the Ford Championship in March and snapped Ernie Els' three-year winning streak at the Heineken Classic. Els bogeyed three holes on the back nine — including the 18th — to finish two shots out of the playoff.

Parry closed with a 1-under 70 to match O'Hern (71) at 14-under 270.