Phil Mickelson overhauled Lee Westwood to claim a third Masters Green Jacket after an enthralling final round at Augusta.
The 39-year-old Mickelson produced some customary magic to pass third-round leader Westwood and dash the Englishman's hopes of winning a long-awaited first major title.
Mickelson fired a final-round 67 to end on 16 under, three shots clear of Westwood, to clinch a fourth major championship.
Westwood carded a one-under 71 but could not quite match the brilliance of the American and has now finished second, third and third in his last three majors.
Anthony Kim emerged from the chasing pack to shoot a stunning 65 to take third on his own at 12 under par.
Tiger Woods - the four-time Masters champion - was one stroke further back despite five months out following revelations about his private life.
South Korea's KJ Choi, who held the joint-lead with Mickelson early on the back nine, also finished on 11 under after a 69 to share fourth with Woods.
The 50-year-old Fred Couples, who was the champion in 1992, was a firm favourite with the Augusta crowd and came within two of the lead before finishing sixth on nine under.
Mickelson, the 2004 and 2006 winner, was one shot adrift of Westwood at the beginning of the final round, but had moved to one in front after 12 holes.
He then fired a stunning second shot from behind a tree into the 13th green to set up an eagle chance. And, though he missed, he made a birdie to maintain a two-shot lead over Westwood, who also birdied, before racing three ahead at the 15th.
The 36-year-old Westwood, who made three birdies and two bogeys to trail Mickelson by one at the turn, narrowed the gap to two with a birdie on 17 but could only par the 18th as Mickelson picked up another birdie to clinch the title in style.
Mickelson has suffered an emotional year after the discovery that both his mother and Amy had contracted breast cancer, and he hailed the win as "one of the best things we've gone through".
"To come out the other end and feel the jubilation is incredible," said Mickelson, who also won the USPGA title in 2005. "I could go on and on for many reasons but it's a special day and something I'll always cherish.
"I don't normally shed tears over wins, and when Amy and I hugged off 18, that was a very emotional moment for us and something that I'll look back on and just cherish.
Afterwards Mickelson admitted he did not know whether his wife was going to make it to the course as she was struggling with low energy because of the medication she is taking to fight the disease.
"To walk off the green and see her was very emotional for us," he added. "It's been a difficult year, and to come out on top in this tournament is very emotional."
Mickelson admitted the last three holes were anything but comfortable, despite holding a three-shot lead.
He had earlier seen compatriot Kim mount a stunning challenge by picking up five shots on the back nine, including an eagle at the 15th to surge into the top three, while Woods, who began four shots behind, lost three strokes in the first five holes.
Woods holed his second for an eagle on the seventh and climbed back to nine under at the turn before a topsy-turvy back nine, which included two bogeys, two birdies and an eagle, took him to 11 under.
"I entered this event to win and I didn't get that done," said a disappointed Woods. "I finished fourth. It's not what I wanted. I wanted to win and as this week went on I played worse.
"After Friday it wasn't very good. I didn't hit it well enough and made too many mistakes around the green. I'm going to take a little time off and evaluate where I go from here."
American Nick Watney matched Kim with a 65 to climb to eight under, with compatriot Hunter Mahan and South Korea's USPGA champion YE Yang both seven under.
Ian Poulter was unable to bounce back after losing ground on Saturday and the Englishman finished five under after a closing 73.
"I'm frustrated," he said. "Yesterday I didn't hit it at all well off the tee and got myself into trouble. I played pretty well today. It's a game of fractions around this golf course. Tenth - I'm not overly satisfied."
Tom Watson, the 60-year-old two-time Masters champion, followed up his second-placed finish at the Open last year with a tie for 18th at one under alongside defending champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina.
this is exactly the vibe i have always gotten from him
Quote:
Originally Posted by Everysanepersonintheworld
Last August at the PGA Championship at Baltusrol, in New Jersey, a reporter turned to a golfer on the tour and said of Phil Mickelson, “Man, the fans here love Phil.” The golfer replied, “They don’t know him the way we do.” It blew our minds a little when we heard this, since Mickelson ranks among the most admired golfers in America. But today the same reporter makes his case bluntly: “Phil Mickelson literally has no friends out there. He annoys everybody.”
Mickelson has earned many nicknames on the Tour, but our favorite is FIGJAM (****, I’m good—just ask me). “There are a bunch of pros who think he and his whole smiley, happy face are a fraud,” another reporter says. “They think he’s preening and insincere.” Mickelson has aggressively pursued a family-man image that is crucial to his success as an endorser. In 1999, when he nearly won the U.S. Open, Mickelson wore a beeper onto the fairway to alert him when his wife went into labor. If the beeper went off during the final round, he announced, he would simply walk off the course. Some of Mickelson’s peers, smelling a PR stunt, badly wanted to call his bluff. “Everybody’s saying, ‘Oh God, I want that beeper to go off,’ ” recalls one writer. (It didn’t.)
I don't sense any insincerity in Phil, and I am glad he won. Tiger played well, but missed some very makable putts, including 3-putting from about 8 feet out on the back 9 on Sunday.
He didn't do bad for not being in the game in a while, but it was disappointing. He nailed some amazing shots though.
I was rooting for my two Koreans K.J. Choi and Anthony Kim though. They were playing really well. Phil Mickelson owned though. I'm happy that he pulled out the win.
He didn't do bad for not being in the game in a while, but it was disappointing. He nailed some amazing shots though.
I was rooting for my two Koreans K.J. Choi and Anthony Kim though. They were playing really well. Phil Mickelson owned though. I'm happy that he pulled out the win.
Yeah Mickelson would've won a lot more Majors by now if it weren't for Tiger so I'm happy for him.
Phil's win cost Golfsmith and Callaway a lot of money, because they were running a joint promotion in which anyone who bought specific Callaway drivers from Golfsmith would get a full refund if Phil won the Masters. Golfsmith will be refunding over $1 million to people who bought the drivers. It's good publicity though for the companies and they might have an insurance policy that covers this.
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Phil Mickelson wins 2010 Masters
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