Watson holed a 9-foot par putt on the 17th hole and a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish off a 5-under par 67. He completed four rounds at 16-under 272, one shot better than Mickelson.
Mickelson, the Rancho Santa Fe resident nearly completed a miraculous comeback on the 72nd hole, trying to slam-dunk a wedge shot from 73 yards away in the fairway. His shot landed less than a foot from the hole, bounced several feet past, then rolled to within 4 feet.
Mickelson made the putt for a birdie that gave him a 3-under 69 and four-round total of 15-under 273. He beat Dustin Johnson (66) and Jhonattan Vegas (68) by two shots.
Mickelson offered no apologies for his decision to lay up.
His lie in the left rough looked to be OK, although the grain of the grass was into his ball and he had 228 yards to the flag. A hybrid would have come out heavy and gone into the water. He said his 3-wood would have come out hot and got well over the green, leaving a difficult chip. Mickelson figured his best chance at eagle was a 64-degree wedge from the fairway, using the bank behind the hole to help feed the ball to the cup.
As for his caddie, Jim Mackay, tending the pin on such a long shot?
"Obviously, you need to hit a great shot and you need to get some luck to hole one from the fairway," Mickelson said. "I'm not naive on that. I get it. But I also didn't want to have something in the way. It's not like I do it every week. But the last hole of the tournament, I've got to make it."
He didn't, although it was pure entertainment.
Mickelson offered no apologies for his decision to lay up.
His lie in the left rough looked to be OK, although the grain of the grass was into his ball and he had 228 yards to the flag. A hybrid would have come out heavy and gone into the water. He said his 3-wood would have come out hot and got well over the green, leaving a difficult chip. Mickelson figured his best chance at eagle was a 64-degree wedge from the fairway, using the bank behind the hole to help feed the ball to the cup.
As for his caddie, Jim Mackay, tending the pin on such a long shot?
"Obviously, you need to hit a great shot and you need to get some luck to hole one from the fairway," Mickelson said. "I'm not naive on that. I get it. But I also didn't want to have something in the way. It's not like I do it every week. But the last hole of the tournament, I've got to make it."
He didn't, although it was pure entertainment.
D.A. Points was another shot back in fifth, one shot ahead of three golfers, including Nick Watney, who tied the course record Sunday with a 9-under 63. Watney played the back nine first and made eight birdies for a 28.
Bill Haas, who entered the final round tied with Mickelson at 12-under, shot 3-over 75 and finished tied for ninth.
Anthony Paolucci, the 18-year-old senior at La Jolla Country Day, birdied the last hole for a 72 and finished tied for 29th at 3-under. He beat Tiger Woods, who shot 75 Sunday, by two shots
Bill Haas, who entered the final round tied with Mickelson at 12-under, shot 3-over 75 and finished tied for ninth.
Anthony Paolucci, the 18-year-old senior at La Jolla Country Day, birdied the last hole for a 72 and finished tied for 29th at 3-under. He beat Tiger Woods, who shot 75 Sunday, by two shots
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