Olazabal rues BellSouth Classic play-off misery

PHIL MICKELSON was back at Augusta yesterday with a third win of the year - but Jose Maria Olazabal will never stop believing it should have been his.

Mickelson won the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta on the fourth hole of a play-off. He had only fellow American Rich Beem for opposition, Olazabal having walked off after hitting two balls into the water at the third hole. He was heading for a quadruple-bogey nine.

But it was not so much that as two earlier putts - and a two-stroke penalty - that had the Spaniard cursing under his breath.

On the final green of the final round, Olazabal missed from under five feet, taking the game to a play-off.

And on the first extra hole, he had another chance to triumph from four feet. But that one lipped out and ecstasy turned to agony.