RECAP: Phil Mickelson Wins WGC-Mexico In Playoff Over Justin Thomas
- Updated: March 5, 2018
Phil Mickelson is finally back in the winner’s circle after capturing the WGC-Mexico Championship on Sunday at Club de Golf Chapultepec fending off Justin Thomas in a sudden death playoff.
The victory is Lefty’s 43rd PGA Tour win and the first in nearly 5 years (or 1,687 DAYS!!!) since his 2013 Open Championship triumph at Muirfield.
“It’s actually not that hard of a shot” pic.twitter.com/HcDQslBXaG
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) March 4, 2018
What He Said
“This is a very meaningful win,” said Mickelson after the round. “I can’t really put it into words, given the tough times over the last four years, and the struggle to get back here and knowing that I was able to compete at this level but not doing it, and the frustration that led to. To finally break through and to have this validation means a lot to me.”
What Happened
Mickelson made back-to-back birdies down the stretch on 15 & 16 to tie a red-hot Thomas, who shot 62-64 on the weekend which included jarring a wedge from 121 for an eagle on the par-4 18th for a 2-shot lead.
During the first hole of the playoff, Thomas went long on the par-3 17th while Phil hit the green and 2-putted for par. JT failed to get it up and down and the rest was FIGJAM history.
Related: Justin Thomas Ejected A Fan At The Honda Classic, But Was It Warranted? The Professionals Weigh In
Shot Of The Day
You have to hear JT’s eagle call en Espanol:
“¡JUSTIN JUSTIN JUSTIN!”
Volume WAY up. ???????? pic.twitter.com/gRk1Sq1u28
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 4, 2018
What It Means
This was Mickelson’s 3rd WGC title and his first Tour victory without his longtime caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay on the bag (his brother Tim assumed that role last year.)
He became the oldest winner of a WGC event at 47 years, eight months, 16 days, surpassing Vijay Singh, who was 45 when he won the 2008 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Total WGC wins
18: Tiger
17:
16:
15:
14:
13:
12:
11:
10:
9:
8:
7:
6:
5: DJ
4:
3: Phil, Ogilvy
2: McIlroy, Day, Hideki & 6 others— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) March 5, 2018
Lefty also now sits just 2 wins behind Walter Hagen for 8th on the PGA Tour’s all-time list.
For years, Phil has been optimistic that his game has been trending in the right direction. Apparently, the glass has been full the whole time.
When the parlay hits pic.twitter.com/LIZQhHuXHy
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) March 5, 2018
With the Masters right around the corner, you can bet Phil likes Phil’s chances at Augusta National.
