FORT WORTH, Texas — Another memorable shot, and another victory, for Phil Mickelson’s impressive ledger.
Not the 9-foot birdie putt on the final hole that gave him a one-stroke win Sunday in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club.
Instead, it was the 140-yard wedge from heavy rough that set it up: when Mickelson had to hit under one tree and over another, the ball clipping branches along the way.
“Just lucky,” Mickelson said with a smile. “I’m as surprised as anybody I was able to make a 3 from over there.”
Once Mickelson hit the ball — “it just came off perfectly,” he said — he couldn’t see it through the branches. So he took a couple of steps before jogging through the trees into an opening just in time to see the ball land near the flag.
One of Mickelson’s best shots ever?
“Probably top five,” he said.
“That’s what No. 2s in the world do,” said Rod Pampling, who blew a two-stroke lead on the back nine. “Those guys make those kinds of shots.”
The birdie closed out a round of 2-under-par 68 that got Mickelson to 14-under 266, a stroke better than Pampling (68) and Tim Clark (66) for his second victory at Colonial.
It was the 34th career victory for Mickelson, who also won the Northern Trust Open in February. By earning $1.098 million, he surpassed $49 million for his career.
