Mickelson completes wire-to-wire BellSouth Classic win

<p>Phil Mickelson completed his dominant, wire-to-wire BellSouth Classic victory Sunday with a score worthy of being remembered as more than just a Masters momentum-builder.</p><p>Mickelson's final-round 65 gave him a 28-under 260 total, only one stroke away from the best 72-hole total for a par-72 course in PGA Tour history.</p><p>Mickelson capped his 65 with an eagle putt on 18, his second eagle of the day.</p><p>Jose Maria Olazabal and Zach Johnson finished 13 strokes behind in second at 15-under 273. Olazabal, who had a 69 Sunday, also tied for second in the BellSouth last year, losing in a five-man playoff won by Mickelson.</p><p>Johnson had a 70 Sunday.</p><p>Mickelson made the most of his last chance to use the BellSouth Classic as a warmup for the Masters. He matched the course record with an opening 63 Thursday and was 5 under or better every day while winning his second straight BellSouth title.</p><p>The left-hander's first win of the year made him the tournament's first three-time champion. He also won the BellSouth 2000.</p><p>Mickelson said playing the TPC at Sugarloaf helped prepare him for his 2004 Masters win _ his first victory in a major. Boosted by his best 72-hole score, he will rank as one of the favorites in Augusta this week.</p><p>J.J. Henry and Retief Goosen tied for fourth at 14-under 274. Goosen moved up with a 66 Sunday. Jonathan Byrd bogeyed three straight holes on the back 9 for a 73 to finish sixth at 12 under.</p><p>Mickelson was on a roll, with an eagle and two birdies on his first five holes of the back nine, when play was halted due to the threat of lightning.</p><p>At the time of the delay, he was 27 under, leaving him with five holes to match the PGA Tour's 72-hole record for a par 72 of 29-under 259 by Joe Durant in the 90-hole Bob Hope Classic in 2001 and by Tim Herron in the same tournament in 2003.</p><p>The Bob Hope Classic is played on four courses.</p><p>Mickelson tied the PGA Tour's best four-round total on one par-72 course, set previously with a 28-under 260 by John Huston in the 1998 Hawaiian Open.</p><p>Mickelson said Saturday he didn't want to think about records and instead would focus on completing the win and gaining momentum for his attempt at a second Masters championship in three years.</p><p>But the record chase moved back into focus after his eagle on No. 13 left him 26 under with six holes to play. He added a birdie on 14 and was on the 15th tee when play was halted.</p><p>The 45-minute delay, which included a short but heavy rain, cooled Mickelson's hot streak. He bogeyed No. 15 and had two pars before his dramatic eagle finish.</p><p>This was the sixth time in eight years the tournament had a weather delay. Mickelson's first two wins here came in years the tournament was shortened to 54 holes due to bad weather.</p><p>The frequent struggles with bad weather helped persuade tournament organizers to move the event to May, beginning in 2007.</p><p>Mickelson began the day at 21 under and picked up three birdies on the front nine before losing a stroke with a bogey at the par-3 eighth. His tee shot found the sand trap on the right side of the green, and he needed two putts after chipping out to within five feet of the hole.</p><p>No one from the pack competing for second place made a sustained charge at Mickelson.</p><p>Byrd moved to 15 under with an eagle on the par-5 fourth, but he fell back with a bogey on the next hole.</p><p>Olazabal was at 14 under after two early birdies, but he suffered a double bogey on No. 9.</p><p>Goosen climbed from eighth to third with two birdies and an eagle on the front nine. He shot a 66 to finish 14 under.</p><p>Mickelson began the back nine with a 10-stroke lead over Byrd. After a birdie on No. 10, Mickelson's slam-dunk of the day came on No. 13. He smashed his drive on the par-4, 322-yard hole, leaving himself a 4-foot putt for the eagle.</p><p>David Toms, the fourth-leading money winner on the tour who opened with a 75 Thursday, was 12 under the last three days. His 67 Sunday left him at 9-under 279.</p><p>Luke Donald, No. 8 on the money list, had a 66 Sunday to finish 10 under.</p><p>Davis Love III of Sea Island, Ga., followed last week's second-round crash in The Players Championship with a 2-under 286. Love shared the lead last week with a first-round 65, but he missed the cut following his second-round 83.</p>

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