Flawless Mickelson wins

Tiger Woods clinches the FedExCup after finishing runner-up

 
Four strokes off the pace overnight, the American left-hander fired a flawless five-under-par 65 at a breezy East Lake Golf Club to clinch his third PGA Tour victory of the year and the 37th of his career.

Mickelson chipped in from just off the 16th green for his fifth birdie of the day before posting a nine-under total of 271 in the Tour's fourth and final playoff event of the season.

World number one Tiger Woods birdied two of the last four holes for a 70 to finish second and win the season-long points race for the FedExCup, plus the $10 million bonus.
"This feels great," a beaming Mickelson said in a greenside interview after shooting the day's lowest score. "It was a lot of fun, but it was a tough, challenging day with the wind.

"I needed to play well in the first three events (of the playoffs) to give myself a chance. Even though I didn't win the FedExCup, I won the last event of the year. It means a lot to finish the year off on such a good note."

Mickelson took six weeks off after tying for second at the US Open in June to spend time with his wife Amy and his mother while they each received breast cancer treatment.
Woods, who began the day just two strokes behind the pacesetting Kenny Perry, failed to make an early impact, collecting his first birdie of the round at the par-five 15th.
"Obviously I'm a little disappointed I didn't win the (Tour) Championship because I was right there," the world number one said after ending a 2009 campaign in the US featuring six victories.

American Sean O'Hair closed with a 69 to secure third place at five-under, a stroke in front of fellow American Perry (74) and Irishman Padraig Harrington (69).
Tour veteran Perry held a two-shot advantage overnight and briefly led by four before slipping back with three bogeys for an outward nine of two-over 37.

Mickelson, who has oozed confidence all week with his putting back to its best, drained a 30-footer at the fourth for a second consecutive birdie to close within two of the lead.
Perry's title bid began to unravel as he dropped shots at the third and fifth and Mickelson spectacularly birdied the eighth to draw level, almost holing out with his approach from 123 yards before tapping in the one-foot putt.

He then sank a curling 11-footer on the ninth green to take the outright lead for the first time before Perry, one group behind, bogeyed the hole to hand Mickelson a two-shot cushion.  Mickelson, who covered the front nine in a red-hot 31, watched as his approach at the par-four 16th rolled through off the back of the green but he coolly chipped in from 15 feet to stretch his lead to three shots.