Mickelson signs off with a magic 59
"It was certainly unexpected", said Mickelson, who hadn't touched a club for two weeks before the tournament. "I didn't hit it great today and somehow I shot 59. So go figure. It just all kind of came together."
Al Geiberger, Chip Beck and David Duval are the only players to shoot 59 on the PGA Tour, and Annika Sorenstam shot a 59 on the LPGA Tour. Mickelson's score will not count in the record books because the PGA Grand Slam is not an official event.
Shigeki Maruyama carded a 58 at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland, during qualifying for the 2000 US Open.
Mickelson barely missed a 9-foot eagle putt to the left on the last hole that would have given him a 58. He tapped in for birdie and smiled as the gallery cheered wildly.
"I just went out and just kind of played and today, the ball went in the hole," he said. "I don't really have an explanation for it."
Mickelson's 59 moved him from third place to first, with a 17-under 127 total, which tied the course record and beat PGA champion Vijay Singh by five strokes.
Mickelson had 11 birdies, an eagle and no bogeys to win €300,000. He putted just 24 times, including 11 times on the front nine.
It was a spectacular way to end a season Mickelson won't forget: His victory at Augusta National allowed him to shed the label of best player never to win a major and he went on to finish a close second in the US Open, third in the British Open and tied for sixth in the PGA.
"I made everything," he said. "It was a great feeling to see the ball go in the hole. Awesome."
Mickelson's previous competitive career low was 61 at the 2001 Greater Hartford Open. His season low was a 63 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
Singh, the No 1 player in the world, shot a 66 and earned €190,000, while first-round leader Retief Goosen - the US Open champion - closed with a 68 to finish at 11-under. British Open champion Todd Hamilton finished last at 1-over 145 after a 75.
"Phil outplayed everybody - or outscored everybody," Singh said. "It was incredible. After about the 12th or 15th hole, we were just watching him."
Mickelson struggled off the tee at times - finding the rough, sand and gallery - but compensated with impressive short play. He became just the third player to win the event since 1998. Last year, Jim Furyk snapped Tiger Woods's record string of five straight grand slam victories.
He birdied numbers 13-15 to open a commanding four-stroke edge and closed with birdies on numbers 16 and 18. But it was on the front nine when Mickelson surged to the top of the leader board.
His tournament-record 28 on the front side included six birdies and an eagle. He broke Woods's mark of 30 set in 2000.
Mickelson, who had two eagles Tuesday, carded four straight birdies, followed by an eagle on the 573-yard number six to tie Goosen for the lead at 10 under.
His 15-foot eagle putt was set up by a 324-yard drive and a 247-yard second shot with a utility wood. Mickelson sank a 31.5ft birdie putt on the next hole to take his first outright lead of the tournament.
The birdie-birdie-birdie-birdie-eagle streak was the best in tournament history.
That run ended after Mickelson found two bunkers on the 374-yard number eight, but he still managed to save par there.
: at Colonial CC, Memphis, Tennessee, June 10, in second round of 1977 Memphis Classic (-13), 29-30 (nines), one eagle, 11 birdies.
: at Sunrise Golf Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 11, in third round of the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational (-13), 30-29, 13 birdies.
: at the PGA West (Palmer Course), La Quinta, California, January 24, in fifth round of 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (-13), 31-28, one eagle, 11 birdies.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
