Charles Howell III ended a five-year title drought on the PGA Tour with a play-off victory over fellow American Phil Mickelson at the Nissan Open on Sunday.
Augusta native Howell, who charged up the leaderboard with three birdies in the last five holes of regulation play, sealed his second Tour win with a four-foot par putt at the third extra hole.
Mickelson, who triumphed by five shots at last week’s Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, missed a 10-footer there to save par after both players failed to reach the green off the tee.
Howell, whose previous title came at the 2002 Michelob Championship, rolled in his victory putt, raised his right arm and looked up skywards in relief before removing his cap.
”I think l’m the luckiest guy in the world right now,” the 27-year-old told reporters after earning the winner’s cheque for $936 000 and avoiding the 11th runner-up spot of his career.
”To hole that putt on 18 to get into the play-off, even if I didn’t win the golf tournament,” he added, referring to his eight-footer at the 72nd hole. ”That par putt was the longest par putt I’ve hit in my life.
”I thought I had an outside chance to win when I birdied 17, and I say outside because I assumed Phil would make birdie there and par the last.
”It’s been a long, long time since I’ve won anything. This one is definitely a relief.”
Mickelson, the pre-tournament favourite, was bitterly disappointed not to win his 31st PGA Tour title.
”I felt like I had the tournament in my grasp and let it go,” the Masters champion said.
”I had every chance on the back nine to create some separation but I missed a couple of putts coming in.”
The pair finished the 72 regulation holes on 16-under-par 268, Howell firing a seven-birdie 65 and Mickelson bogeying the last for a 68.
Ernie Els, the 1999 champion, returned a 67 to share third place on 13 under with 2001 winner Robert Allenby of Australia (68) and world number two Jim Furyk (67).
For much of a sun-drenched day at Riviera Country Club, the tournament appeared to be firmly within Mickelson’s grasp.
A stroke in front of the chasing pack overnight, he quickly stretched his lead to four shots with three birdies in the first five holes.
He then surprisingly stumbled with an uncharacteristic bogey at the par-four ninth, where he failed to reach the green in two, duffed his chip and two-putted for a five.
Delicate chip
Moments later, Mickelson’s advantage was trimmed to just one when Els hit a delicate chip at the par-four 10th to set up his fifth birdie of the day.
Although Els fell back over the closing stretch, Mickelson again seemed to regain control with birdies on 10 and 11, the first of them a 21-footer that sparked a celebratory fist pump.
However, Mickelson’s putter let him down badly over the next few holes.
He ran up a three-putt bogey at the par-four 13th, left a birdie attempt inches short at the 15th and missed a four-foot birdie putt at the 16th.
Although he picked up his fifth shot at the par-five 17th, where a booming drive left with him a four-iron second into the green, he bogeyed the last after pulling his drive into the left rough.
Howell, who began the final round three strokes off the pace, mounted his challenge with a storming back nine of four-under 32.
He birdied the two par-fives, 11 and 17, and rolled in putts from 25 and 30 feet at the par-three 14th and 16th before holing out from eight feet on 18 to take the tournament into a play-off. – Reuters