Nissan Open - Howell Comes Through

Making a 8 foot putt for par on the last, Charles Howell III survived and entered a playoff when Phil Mickelson bogeyed the last.

On 18, Mickelson drove into the left rough and short. Had 204 left to the hole/green but came up about 4-6 yards short (and left) of the green with an 8 iron. The pin was back left, as usual but his pitch was too high and short. it landed dead leaving a 10 foot putt that he missed.

In the ensuing play off, Mickelson arrived at 18 tee a bit later and had too tee of first, and hit a simialr shot to that he had made a few minutes earlier - in the left rough, leaving himself 218 out. This time he played 2 clubs more and wound up roughly pin high on the right fringe and made par.

Both players played 10 fairly badly, scoring par. Howell played his second from a cartpath on the left, but clipped some branches with his chip. With 80 feet to go, Howell hit a fine pitch and later sank the 3 footer. Mickelson meanwhile had hooked his drive to the right front of the green, and his lackluster pitch, like 18, was too short.

On the final hole, the par 3 14th, both men were short of the green. Mickelson hit a putt through the fringe and wound up 10 feet short, while Howell hit a decent chip to 3 feet beyond the hole. After Mickelson missed, Howell sank his putt and breathed a loud sigh of relief. He had achieved his second victory, having 9 seconds and only one victory prior to this.