April 11, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

AUGUSTA, April 10: Phil Mickelson sealed his third major title and second green jacket with a two-shot victory in the US Masters on Sunday.

One shot clear after the weather-hit third round was completed earlier in the day, the American left-hander fired a closing three-under-par 69 to finish on seven-under 281 in late afternoon sunshine at Augusta National.

Mickelson broke clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard with birdies on seven and eight and effectively secured his second Masters crown in three years by picking up further shots on 13 and 15.

He could afford to bogey the last, after missing the green to the left with his approach, before collecting his 29th PGA Tour title.

Winner of last year's US PGA Championship at Baltusrol, the 35-year-old Mickelson became the first player to clinch successive majors since Tiger Woods at the 2002 US Open.

South African Tim Clark spectacularly holed out for a birdie-three from a greenside bunker at the last for a 69 which earned second place on 283.

Holder Woods, the world number one, had to settle for a share of third, four birdies in the last six holes giving him a 70 and a four-under total of 284.

Levelled with Woods were Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, who shot a best-of-the-week 66, world number three Retief Goosen (69) and Americans Fred Couples (71) and Chad Campbell (71).

When Mickelson rolled in an eight-footer on 15 for his fourth birdie of the day, it put him four clear as his closest rivals repeatedly failed to take advantage of birdie opportunities.

Playing partner Couples was two strokes back after a birdie on 13 before he three-putted from four feet for a bogey-five on 14.

Couples, at 46 aiming to become the oldest Masters champion, was in excellent form from tee to green but missed several putts from inside five feet as his victory hopes faded.

Twice former winner Olazabal reeled off five birdies and one bogey to race to the turn in four-under 32.

Masters champion in 1994 and 1999, the Spaniard then struck a superb second shot from 245 yards to three feet for an eagle on 15 to briefly join Couples in a tie for second.

Although he slipped back with a three-putt bogey at the par-three 16th, he parred the last two holes to finish at four under.

“I thought I needed to go six (under) to put pressure on these guys,” Olazabal told newsmen. “When I three-putted 16, I tried to force the situation on 17 and 18 and made two pars in the end.”

Woods, chasing a fifth green jacket, clawed his way into a share of second place with his third birdie of the day at the par-three 16th, but then bogeyed 17 before holing a 20-footer at the last.

The 30-year-old American was badly let down over the opening holes by his putter in his bid for an 11th career major.

The 70th US Masters had been set up for a gripping finish with 10 players no more than three strokes behind leader Mickelson at the start of the final round.

Mickelson returned a two-under 70 in gusting winds for a 54-hole total of four-under 212 when the delayed third round was completed on a chilly morning.

Ultimately, though, he strolled to victory in the company of good friend Couples as his closest rivals failed to apply pressure over the closing stretch.

Final round scores:

281 -- Phil Mickelson (US) 70, 72, 70, 69.

283 -- Tim Clark (South Africa) 70, 72, 72, 69.

284 --Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 76, 71, 71, 66; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 70, 73, 72, 69; Tiger Woods (US) 72, 71, 71, 70; Chad Campbell (US) 71, 67, 75, 71; Fred Couples (US) 71, 70, 72, 71.

285 -- Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 73, 74, 70, 68; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 67, 74, 73, 71.

286 -- Stewart Cink (US) 72, 73, 71, 70.

287 Mike Weir (Canada) 71, 73, 73, 70; Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 72, 74, 69, 72; Stephen Ames (Canada) 74, 70, 70, 73.

288 -- Billy Mayfair (US) 71, 72, 73, 72; Arron Oberholser (US) 69, 75, 73, 71.

289 -- Scott Verplank (US) 74, 70, 74, 71; Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 70, 75, 73, 71; Rod Pampling (Australia) 72, 73, 72, 72.

290 -- Nick O'Hern (Australia) 71, 72, 76, 71; Stuart Appleby (Australia) 71, 75, 73, 71; David Howell (Britain) 71, 71, 76, 72.

291 -- Darren Clarke (Britain) 72, 70, 72, 77; Robert Allenby (Australia) 73, 73, 74, 71; Davis Love III (US) 74, 71, 74, 72; Mark Hensby (Australia) 80, 67, 70, 74; Jim Furyk (US) 73, 75, 68, 75.

292 -- Adam Scott (Australia) 72, 74, 75, 71; Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 72, 74, 73, 73; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 73, 70, 75, 74; Shingo Katayama (Japan) 75, 70, 73, 74; Ernie Els (South Africa) 71, 71, 74, 76.

293 -- Brandt Jobe (US) 72, 76, 77, 68; Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 73, 75, 76, 69; Zach Johnson (US) 74, 72, 77, 70; Ted Purdy (US) 72, 76, 74, 71.

294 -- Rocco Mediate (US) 68, 73, 73, 80; Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 76, 70, 74, 74; Tim Herron (US) 76, 71, 71, 76.

295 --Justin Leonard (US) 75, 70, 79, 71; Ben Curtis (US) 71, 74, 77, 73; Jason Bohn (US) 73, 71, 77, 74.

296 -- Larry Mize (US) 75, 72, 77, 72; Luke Donald (Britain) 74, 72, 76, 74; Rich Beem (US) 71, 73, 73, 79.

297 -- Olin Browne (US) 74, 69, 80, 74.

298 -- Sergio Garcia (Spain) 72, 74, 79, 73.

300 -- Ben Crenshaw (US) 71, 72, 78, 79. —Reuters