Big Phil 'Toughs' It Out

Every Monday during the PGA Tour season, Monday Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend's action. Basically, we'll focus on what you missed while you were out grinding on the putting green.

Mickelson Toughs It Out -- You don't usually see "tough" and "Phil Mickelson" in the same sentence. His lone shining moment under pressure was at the 2004 Masters, when he rolled in a birdie putt on the last hole for his first major championship. Otherwise, he has never been that dominant in the high stress environment of the Ryder Cup, and his additional attempts at "clutch" have ended with "fore left" at Winged Foot and final-hole major losses to David Toms (2001 PGA Championship) and Payne Stewart (1999 U.S. Open).

Well, on Sunday, at a tournament he had never won, on a golf course he had never conquered, Mickelson had to be tough. And tough he was.

Phil had to go to a hospital near Doral on Saturday night for two IV bags because he was feeling fatigued and dehydrated. He admitted to not really having anything to eat for two or three days. With that, he had to go out on a golf course and win a tournament with the entire top 50 teeing it up, including one Tiger Woods, who is on a comeback tour with more fanfare and media attention than if Elvis Presley came back from the grave one last time with a guitar and a microphone.

Mickelson shot a 3-under 69 on Sunday to outlast 27-year-old Nick Watney, who threw more than just one kitchen sink at Phil on Sunday, including a "give me a break" chip-in on the ninth hole that will be remembered in Doral lore for years to come, as well as a second shot on the par-5 10th hole that set up an eagle. Phil steadied his game after a sloppy bogey on the 12th hole, making pars on the remaining six holes that included a carved second shot on the 18th that peaked in the hole before rolling off the back, setting up a two-putt par for the win.

Phil was tough, period. He was tough in his first round, needing only 20 putts while most cameras were pointed at Tiger and his return to stroke play. He was tough with his second round 66, which included seven birdies. He was the toughest on Sunday, which isn't what we've come to expect from Phil.

Now comes the Augusta death march -- four weeks until we get to see the bursting colors of the azaleas, the soothing theme song by Dave Loggins and the greenest slice of land on the planet. Like I mentioned on Sunday, Mickelson is the clear favorite for the year's first major, something he has earned over the last month. Wins at the Northern Trust and now at Doral -- along with a fair showing at the Accenture -- aren't to be looked at lightly. He is once again the second-ranked golfer in the world and if he could put together another miraculous run at Augusta in April, Phil might just be ranked at the top of the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career.

So far, '09 hasn't been all bad for Lefty.

Typical Tiger -- Sure, we've come to believe "Typical Tiger Woods" play has him hoisting the trophy late Sunday evening, but this past week was just another example of how adroit the man returning from knee surgery really is.

Making the CA Championship his first four-round competitive tournament, Woods would probably be the first to admit it was a disappointing endeavor. The thing is, the guy finished in the top-10 again at Doral, making it another year he has never finished 11th or worse at the Blue Monster.

Tiger was visibly frustrated all week, slamming his putter to the ground as he left an eagle putt hanging on the lip on his back nine. If you had just been watching his facial expressions during the week you would have thought he posted four rounds in the 80s.

His putter wasn't on fire at Doral, but he's hitting the ball brilliantly and, by my calculations, will probably be in the field in two weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational as the defending champion. If he can figure out Bay Hill's greens, we might see Woods in a familiar position again next Sunday evening: picking up his first trophy (with Charlie Axel as a new member of his camp).

Bradley Enjoyed Puerto Rico -- The best part about missing out on the World Golf Championship field is that there is another PGA Tour event that week that doesn't have all the big names. Michael Bradley isn't complaining, as he picked up his third career win at the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday, his first victory since 1998.

Bradley, 42, is probably a name you should know. He won the Buick Challenge in '96, at Doral in '98, and once shot a 59 in a Canadian Tour event.

The win propels him to 39th on the FedEx Cup point list, and now gives him two more years as a full-fledged member of the PGA Tour.

Final Round Handshakes ...

-- Rory McIlroy probably left Doral with a nasty taste in his mouth after weekend scores of 72-73, but the 19-year-old still finished in the top-20, a place he has yet to find himself out of in his three career starts on the PGA Tour.

-- If you haven't seen the pictures of Henrik Stenson stripping down to his undies and hitting a golf shot on Thursday at Doral, your computer has probably been robbed. While it was entertaining and so true to the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words," it wasn't very good luck for the Swede. Stenson finished second-to-last at the CA Championship after he closed with an 83 that included eight bogeys, one double-bogey and a triple.

Next time, keep your pants on, Henrik.