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Phil Mickelson wins the US Masters - Source: Reuters -
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Phil Mickelson birdied four of the last seven holes to win his
fourth major title, and a third Green Jacket, by three shots at the
US Masters on Monday.
A stroke behind pacesetting Briton Lee Westwood overnight, the
American left-hander fired a five-under-par 67 to post a 16-under
total of 272 at Augusta National.
Cheered on by huge galleries including his wife Amy and three
children as he walked up the 18th fairway at a sun-splashed Augusta
National, Mickelson put the seal on an emotional victory with an
eight-foot birdie putt at the last.
He thrust both arms skywards in triumph before hugging his caddie,
shaking hands with Westwood and then embracing his wife just off
the green.
Westwood, who had been seeking his maiden major title and Britain's
first since Paul Lawrie won the 1999 British Open, had to settle
for second place after carding a 71.
American Anthony Kim closed with a sparkling 65 to finish third at
12 under, a stroke in front of world number one Tiger Woods and KJ
Choi of South Korea, who returned matching 69s.
Mickelson, who won his first two Masters crowns in 2004 and 2006,
effectively wrapped up the title with back-to-birdies from the
par-three 12th.
He rolled in a curling 14-footer on the 12th green, and then
narrowly missed an eagle putt from just three feet at the par-five
13th before holing out from a similar distance coming back.
Tightened grip
That put him two strokes clear before he picked up another shot at
the par-five 15th after reaching the green in two and two-putting,
to tighten his grip on a third Green Jacket.
Kim began another sun-splashed day at Augusta seven strokes off the
pace but he surged into contention with a sizzling
birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie run from the 13th.
Choi briefly joined Mickelson in a share of the lead with eight
holes to play before slipping back with bogeys on 13 and 14.
Four-times champion Woods, playing his first event in nearly five
months with his private life having spectacularly unravelled at the
end of last year, endured a roller-coaster day.
He started out poorly with three bogeys in the first five holes
before he recovered in spectacular fashion.
Woods holed out from the fairway for a stunning eagle at the
par-four seventh where his ball pitched 20 feet left of the pin
before slowly making its way down the slope into the cup.
After a brief pause the world number one raised his arms in
celebration before breaking into a huge smile.
He then birdied the next two holes, getting up and down from just
off the green at the par-five eighth and rolling in a six-footer at
the par-four ninth.
After mixing bogeys at the 11th and 14th with a birdie at the 13th,
he collected another eagle when he coaxed in a 15-footer at the
par-five 15th before signing off with a six-foot birdie putt at the
last.
