Mickelson sees off Woods and a late Els charge to end tough season on a high

After a traumatic season, Phil Mickelson was just glad to end the year with a smile having secured a stunning win in Shanghai.

The world No.2 showed nerves of steel to hold off a remarkable charge from Ernie Els to claim the WGC-HSBC Champions trophy in China. And after a year which has seen ‘Lefty’ take time off to look after his mum and wife, who both have breast cancer, Mickelson said he was happy to end the season on a high.

“It feels terrific. It’s my last event of the year and to finish the year like this is just wonderful,” he said.

The American had been expected to face a fierce challenge from Tiger Woods. But the world No.1 had an off day only managing to shoot a level-par round of 72 around the Sheshan golf course as he finished on 12-under par, five behind his arch-rival. And the main threat to Mickelson’s title hopes came from Els, who fired a fantastic round of 63 to finish one back on 16-under, and Rory McIlroy, who shot a super 63 to finish in fourth on 14-under.

“Everyone had been expecting Tiger and myself to shoot in the mid-60s and pull away but it was the groups ahead of us making the putts.

“Ernie, and Rory McIlroy, played one of the greatest rounds and I was fortunate to come out on top. It feels good because I had to fight very hard.”

Mickelson is hugely popular in China and massive crowds followed him and Woods (pictured left), who were paired together, on a hot and humid day.
Mickelson picked up a shot on the third but slipped up with bogeys on the fourth and fifth after fluffing easy putts.

He hit back though by gaining a shot on the seventh and with Els running hot in front of him, picked up consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th to set up a tense finish.

He missed the green on the crucial 16th but sank an under-pressure 18-foot putt to save par, and a birdie on the 17th put him back in the lead.

Mickelson held his nerve coming down the last with a par to win only his second World Golf Championship event in his 29th appearance.

In contrast, Woods self-destructed with a double bogey on the fourth, when he drove his ball into an adjacent canal and had to take a drop.

It didn’t get any better with another bogey on the sixth and he was clearly frustrated.

When a camera clicked as he was teeing off at the seventh and his shot found a bunker he shouted: “I just can’t get a swing”, and started swearing under his breath.

“Today was anything that could go wrong went wrong for me,” he said.

“Just one of those days where I didn’t put it together at the right time.”

Meanwhile, Paul Casey’s hopes of winning the inaugural Race to Dubai look all but over after the world No.4 was forced to pull out after playing just two holes of his final round in Shanghai.

The Englishman lies in fifth place in the rebranded Order of Merit, but he’s pulled out of next week’s Hong Kong Open in order to see a specialist about his recurring rib injury. And it’s now is a big doubt whether he’ll play in the Dubai World Championship in two weeks’ time.