Golf-Sizzling Mickelson takes control of Tour Championship (Reuters)
September 27, 2009
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
ATLANTA, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Phil Mickelson rattled up fourbirdies in seven holes to overhaul fellow American Kenny Perryand snatch a two-shot lead midway through Sunday’s final roundof the Tour Championship.
Four strokes off the pace overnight at East Lake, theleft-hander raced to the turn in a sizzling four-under-par 31 toclose in on his third PGA Tour victory of the year.
Behind the green in two at the par-five ninth, Mickelson gotup and down for his birdie to reach eight under overall, twoahead of Perry who covered the front nine in an untidy 37.
World number one Tiger Woods, after nine holes, was afurther shot back at five under in a tie for third withcompatriots Steve Marino and Sean O’Hair.
With FedExCup honours also on the line at East Lake, Marinohad completed 11 holes and O’Hair nine in the PGA Tour’s fourthand final playoff event of the season.
Woods, four behind the pace-setting Perry overnight, made apoor start, bogeying the par-four first after pulling his teeshot well left behind a tree from where he could only chip outsideways back on to the fairway.
That left him three behind Perry who parred the opening holebefore briefly stretching his lead to four when he rolled in a29-foot birdie putt at the par-three second.
However, Perry immediately stumbled with a bogey at thethird after overshooting the green with his approach and endingup with an awkward lie in the back left bunker.
Moments later his lead was trimmed to just two whenMickelson drained a 30-footer at the fourth to register hissecond birdie in a row.
Perry dropped his second shot of the day at the par-fourfifth, where he ended up in the right rough off the tee, to liejust one stroke ahead of the chasing pack at seven under.
Mickelson spectacularly birdied the par-four eighth to drawlevel with Perry, almost holing out with his approach from 123yards before tapping in the one-foot putt.
He then sank a curling 11-footer on the ninth green to takethe outright lead for the first time before Perry, playing inthe group behind, bogeyed the hole to hand Mickelson a two-shotcushion. (Editing by Ed Osmond; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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One Response to “Golf-Sizzling Mickelson takes control of Tour Championship (Reuters)”
It was great watching Phil play on Sunday. Next year should be interesting.