Mickelson wins playoff to end long barren run

PHIL MICKELSON edged out Skip Kendall in a sudden-death playoff to enjoy a welcome victory at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic on Sunday.

Mickelson (68) and Kendall (65) finished five rounds of regulation play in the 90-hole event level on 30-under-par 330 and returned to the par-five 18th hole for the shoot-out.

Kendall's second shot from the fairway was short of the green and near the water while Mickelson's approach went over the putting surface.

Kendall left his third shot a good 15 feet from the cup and failed to make the putt while Mickelson chipped to within three feet and sank his fourth shot for the win.

Competing in his first event of the season, the victory was the first since he claimed the 2002 Greater Hartford Open and the 22nd of his career.

For the second straight year, 50-year-old Jay Haas came up one shot short. Haas, who was second to Canada's Mike Weir here in 2003, finished alone in third after a final round five-under-par 67.

Jonathan Kaye took fourth place on 28-under 332.

Ben Crane, Sweden's Jesper Parnevik and Kenny Perry tied for fifth on 334.

Since his last victory in July 2002, Mickelson has fallen from second in the world rankings at the beginning of 2003 to 16th coming into this week.

"It's been a long time since I've won a tournament and to be able to start the year with a win is very exciting for me," Mickelson said.

"It's also very encouraging because I'm starting to see results very quickly."

Starting the day strongly, Mickelson had a two-shot lead over joint overnight leader Kirk Triplett through eight holes with five birdies and no bogeys.

However, back-to-back bogeys on the par-four ninth and 10th changed the complexion of the tournament and left Mickelson scrambling.

By the 16th hole, Triplett had faded and Mickelson found himself trailing for the first time all day, one shot behind Kendall.

Kendall then made a bogey on the par-three 17th and after a birdie on the 18th hole, he had regained a one-shot lead over Mickelson.

"We were coming backwards and the guys in front of us were going forwards," Mickelson said of himself and Triplett, who finished with a disappointing 74.

"I was a shot back with two to go and was fortunate just to get into a playoff," he said.

Mickelson played the deciding hole as he had in regulation, hitting a driver to the middle of the fairway and a four-iron, both times from 226 yards, to the green.

Mickelson missed the green to the right where he had been about 20 minutes earlier, and made the up-and-down for a winning birdie.

"When I made the birdie in regulation, I realised that it was better to be on the right," Mickelson said.

"When Skip went to the left in the playoff, I knew he had a tough chip. I knew he could get up-and-down, but it was a tough one.

"I wanted to put my second in the same spot I was at in regulation but if I missed it I wanted to be a touch right of the hole," Mickleson said.

The four par-72 courses used for the event were the PGA West, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes and La Quinta, with the final round played at PGA West.