Golf Australia – April 2018

AROUND

THE

TRAPS WINNER’S CIRCLE

PHOTOS:

GETTY IMAGES X 2

PHIL

MICKELSON

WGC – MEXICO

CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER

WINNING SCORE:

16-under-par, 268.

DEFEATED: Fellow American Justin

Thomas on the fi rst hole of sudden death.

DEFINING MOMENTS: As overnight

leader Shubhankar Sharma struggled on

Sunday, Mickelson and Thomas emerged as two of the

main contenders for the title alongside Tyrrell Hatton.

Fresh off a win the previous week, Thomas bogeyed the

17th before holing out for an eagle two at the 18th for a 64

and the clubhouse lead at 16-under-par. Mickelson

responded quickly with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes

to draw level, as did Hatton, who made four consecutive

scores of three beginning at the 12th hole.

Mickelson parred his way in for a fi ve-under fi nal round

and a playoff with Thomas, while Hatton’s par putt at the

par-4 18th came up short to drop him to a tie for 3rd with

Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Thomas missed the green long at the par-3 17th in

sudden death and was unable to get up-and-down,

handing Mickelson, who had already secured a two-putt

par from 18-feet after nearly holing his birdie try, PGA Tour

victory number 43.

WITH THIS VICTORY... :

t
 Mickelson claimed his fi rst victory in almost fi ve years,

his previous win coming in 2013 at The Open.

t
 ‘Lefty’ is now the oldest ever winner of a World Golf

Championship event at 47 years, eight months, 16 days,

removing Vijay Singh as the previous record holder.

t
 The World Golf Hall of Fame member is now all but

guaranteed a 12th consecutive Ryder Cup appearance

at Le Golf National later this year.

20 APRIL 2018 | golf australia

EQUIPMENT CHOICE

DRIVER Callaway Rogue Sub Zero with 9 ̊ loft, fiProject X HZRDUS T1100 shaft. tted with

3-WOOD Callaway Rogue Sub Zero with 13.5 ̊ loft, with Fubuki J shaft.

HYBRID Callaway Rogue with 19 ̊ loft, with KBS Hybrid shaft.

IRONS Callaway Epic Pro (4) and Callaway X Forged 18 (5-PW), with KBS Tour V 125 shafts.

WEDGES Callaway Mack Daddy PM Grind (56 ̊, 60 ̊, 64 ̊), with KBS Tour V 125 shafts.

PUTTER Odyssey Versa #9 White.

BALL Callaway Chrome Soft X.

“I NEEDED TO GET

A WIN BEFORE

AUGUSTA SO I

WA SN’ T T RY ING T O

WIN FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN FOUR AND A

HALF, FIVE YEARS AT

THAT EVENT.”

• PHIL MICKELSON