A glorious PGA Championship at the Ocean Course ended Sunday evening as many hoped it would, with Phil Mickelson hoisting the Wannamaker Trophy for a second time. In doing so at age 50 years and 11 months, he became the oldest major championship winner of all-time. This PGA is the sixth major championship for Mickelson and his 45th career PGA Tour victory.
On a day wind gusts reached 20 MPH, the scoring was the best of the four rounds with an average of 72.667. Mickelson recorded his highest score of the tournament, a one-over 73, but he made enough big shots to stave off all challengers. He won by two shots over Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen.
It was not a smooth ride Sunday for Mickelson by any means. He opened bogey-birdie-bogey. He briefly lost the lead to Koepka who birdied the first hole to move to seven under. But Koepka had trouble in the deep rough around the #2 green and double-bogeyed there. That gave Mickelson an opening, and he took advantage.
Holing out a 50-foot shot from a waste bunker at the 5th gave Mickelson momentum, but he missed a 15-foot putt for par at #6 for another bogey. He got that one back at the par five 7th as he hit his approach to within 10 feet and made the birdie putt. He finished the front nine at even par 36 and a two-shot lead on Koepka and Oosthuizen.
Mickelson birdied the 10th and followed that with two pars, while Koepka suffered bogeys at the 10th and 11th holes. Mickelson now had a five-shot lead on his playing partner. Meantime, Oosthuizen fell four shots back after a bogey at #10 and trailed by five after a double bogey at the 13th.
Mickelson and Koepka bogeyed the 13th. Koepka moved to within four when Mickelson also bogeyed the 14th. After Koepka birdied the 15th, and Oosthuizen parred the 14th and 15th, they trailed Mickelson by three
Mickelson stopped the bleeding on the 16th when he matched the short birdie putts of his nearest pursuers to maintain his three-shot lead. Mickelson finished bogey-par while Koepka and Oosthuizen parred in for the two-shot difference.
Final-Round Leaderboard
Phil Mickelson 70-69-70-73—282 (-6)
Louis Oosthuizen 71-68-72-73—284 (-4)
Brooks Koepka 69-71-70-74—284 (-4)
Shane Lowry 73-71-73-69—286 (-2)
Padraig Harrington 71-73-73-69—286 (-2)
Harry Higgs 72-71-73-70—286 (-2)
Paul Casey 71-71-73-71—286 (-2)
