Mickelson still clear despite late lapse
A closing double bogey cost Phil Mickelson the chance to pull off a feat achieved on the US Tour just once in over 50 years.
Since 1955 only Tiger Woods has taken at least a 10-stroke lead into the final day of a tournament – the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach.
Mickelson held that advantage standing on the final tee of his third round at the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta, but then dumped two balls into the lake short of the green.
Even with that he came off the green smiling, sinking a 26-foot putt to limit the damage to a seven that left him with “only” an eight-stroke lead over fellow Americans Zach Johnson and Jonathan Byrd.
Warming up for the Masters in a manner he could have only dreamt of – until that last hole, that is – the defending champion followed his career-best opening rounds of 63 and 65 with a 67 and stands on the 21 under par total of 195.
Jose Maria Olazabal, third at halfway, slipped to fourth with a 69 and with nine strokes to make up surely has no chance to make amends for losing to Mickelson in last year’s play-off.
Luke Donald’s round finished even worse than Mickelson’s. He dumped two pitches into the water for a quadruple bogey nine that dropped him from eighth to 27th.
Also on four under and also round in a disappointing 74 was Ian Poulter. His big setback came much sooner, a double bogey seven on the long fourth.
At least David Howell’s 70 took him into a tie for ninth on seven under, while Padraig Harrington is one stroke further back and joint 15th following a 71.
Not since Sandy Lyle in 1988 has anybody won the last tournament before the Masters and then won at Augusta as well.
But Mickelson was determined to give himself yet another chance to change that.
He is trying for his third victory in seven years at the event. But after he beat Jack Nicklaus’ son Gary in a play-off in 2000 he finished seventh in the Masters and following his success last season he came 10th.
However, when asked after he had opened 63-65 if there was any slight temptation to take his foot off the pedal this weekend, Mickelson was almost shocked by the suggestion.
“No. Good heavens – are you kidding me?” he answered. “No. I want to play as well as I can. It only breeds more confidence.”
Olazabal, third overnight, had stated that it would take “awesome” golf to catch Mickelson. Instead it was the left-hander’s play that warranted that description again for almost the entire day.
He had five successive birdies from the third and after three-putting the difficult short eighth, holed from 14 feet on the next to turn in 31.
Further birdies at the 11th, 13th and 14th gave him a 12-stroke lead, but although that was to come back to eight nobody on the circuit has ever lost more than a six-stroke lead on the last day.
Earlier, Fredrik Jacobson charged into a share of second spot with a spectacular seven birdies in the first 10, but then bogeyed the 11th, 17th and 18th for a 68 that left him on six under with fellow Swede Richard Johnson (66).
Ireland's Padraig Harrington slipped further off the pace with a round of one under par to enter the final round on six under.
