“When I had that close call at the Honda 14 events into my PGA TOUR career, you start to think about that a lot”, Berger said in reference to his loss a year ago.
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Five-time major victor Phil Mickelson, warming up for yet another bid for the US Open title he has never won, carded a 65 to head a group on 135 that also included Brooks Koepka (65) and Dustin Johnson (69).
ATZENBRUGG, Austria – China’s Wu Ashun rallied to win the Lyoness Open for his second European Tour victory, improving his chances of playing in the Rio Olympics.
On his back nine, Koepka had birdies at Nos. After playing the first four holes at one-over par and allowing Koepka to catch him at 9-under, Berger responded.
Henderson won her first major title Sunday, beating top-ranked Lydia Ko with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after overcoming a three-shot deficit on the back nine.
Low rounds were common on Sunday, as Dustin Johnson shot a tournament-low 63 to finish alone in fifth place at 9-under par.
Mickelson, runner-up in 2013, made birdies on holes five and eight before going through even on the back nine. He did not participate in the 2015 edition of the tournament and finished tied for 28th in his first appearance in 2014. Mickelson hit his tee shot on No. 18 into a fairway bunker and had to roll in an 18-footer to save par.
“I just think having a family with a background in athletics”, he said, explaining where uncommon poise under pressure comes given his age.
He now heads to Oakmont for the U.S.
Little-known American Tom Hoge (69) was alone in second, with Mickelson, a five-times major victor who next week will head to Oakmont searching for a first U.S. Open victory after a record six runner-up spots, joint third on five-under after a 65. “I feel like I’m in a great spot”.
Berger had no such issues as he rolled in putts of 8 feet on No. 12, the 32-footer on No. 14 and a 22-footer on No. 15.
But on the back nine, he double bogeyed the 10th and the 16th and finished bogey-bogey on 17th and 18th. That proved more than enough of a margin as Mickelson birdied the par-5 16th.
He now just needs to hold himself together for the last day at TPC Southwind and getting the basic elements right will be crucial to lifting the trophy.
He carded a three-over 73 in the third round to sit at two under overall.
“It’s been a great, great year with the putter”, Mickelson said.
Racing Post Sport ante-post selections Colt Knost and Brooks Koepka are still in contention and capable of threatening the leader from four shots behind.
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“I know it’s about to click”, he said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been up there and have an opportunity to win, but I’m excited for the challenge”. “I was using older clubs and you hit them thousands and thousands of times and, essentially, the faces cave”.
