Phil Mickelson beats Tiger Woods in 'The Match', wins $9 million prize
Mickelson beats Woods to $9 million at fourth extra hole in epic Vegas clash.
Phil Mickelson scooped the $9 million jackpot over his great rival Tiger Woods after defeating him in extra holes in 'The Match' at Shadow Creek GC, Las Vegas.
Mickelson was forced to hand over $200,000 as early as the first hole when missing the birdie that he said he would deliver, but he quickly moved ahead in the match when Woods bogeyed the second.
Woods and Mickelson - with 123 PGA Tour wins between them - exchanged a number of holes thereafter with Mickelson moving 1 up by the turn.
WATCH: GOLF FAN SHOUTS OUT HE'S GOING TO A STRIP CLUB TONIGHT, TIGER BURSTS OUT LAUGHING, PHIL GIVES THE THUMBS UP!
The 14-time major champion then bounced back with consecutive birdies at 10 and 11 to move ahead in the match for the very first time.
His lead did not last long, however, as Mickelson hit back with an impressive birdie at the par-3 12th - picking up $300,000 for their last-second nearest-the-pin bet in the process - before nosing ahead again after Woods bogeyed the 15th.
Woods then produced a moment of old when chipping in from some 20 feet off the fringe for birdie at the 17th to draw All Square with Mickelson going up the last.
WATCH: WOODS WITH VINTAGE FIST-PUMP CHIP-IN AT 17!
Both Woods and Mickelson stood over tense five-foot putts for birdie at the par-5 18th, but Woods kindly conceded Mickelson's putt once sending his home to send the match into extra holes.
Back up the same hole, Woods missed the fairway and was forced to lay-up, while Mickelson went for the green in two but came up short in the sand.
Woods put the pressure on Mickelson when playing a superb wedge into six feet for birdie, and it showed when Lefty played a poor shot to his high standards to 30 feet.
Mickelson stepped up and missed, leaving the stage set for Woods to clinch victory, but the former world number one failed to send his ball down for birdie.
Tiger can't sink it and we play a 20th hole #CapitalOnesTheMatch pic.twitter.com/HFWWNRPLtE
— Bleacher Report Live (@brlive) November 24, 2018
Onto the unique 93-yard 20th hole, almost as if it had been designed on purpose for a playoff with darkness descending, and Mickelson left his 20-foot birdie putt just shy to the left of the hole for the win, meaning it was back up the same hole for a third extra hole.
THIS CLOSE to $9 million
Watch the finish to #CapitalOnesTheMatch: https://t.co/Opog8HkqWJ pic.twitter.com/vVFMtUdvoq— Bleacher Report Live (@brlive) November 24, 2018
Back up to the tee and Woods went slightly long - just as he had done before - leaving the door wide open for Mickelson who took full advantage when sticking his tee shot to within seven feet of the pin. Yet incredibly, Mickelson failed to convert his putt and then conceded Woods' putt to send the match into a fourth extra hole.
"I don't want to win like this."
We'll do it again
Watch the 22nd hole of #CapitalOnesTheMatch live: https://t.co/Opog8HkqWJ pic.twitter.com/KVYHTVidEw— Bleacher Report Live (@brlive) November 24, 2018
Seemingly dialled in at the third time of asking, Woods sent his tee shot into seven feet, before Mickelson bettered it by three feet. Woods stepped up and missed, and Mickelson finally sealed the deal and the $9 million jackpot when rolling home his four-footer for birdie.
Phil Mickelson wins #CapitalOnesTheMatch four playoff holes later pic.twitter.com/pMilz3iUOR
— Bleacher Report Live (@brlive) November 24, 2018
Phil takes down Tiger (@audi) pic.twitter.com/Lk3PAtoY9Y
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 24, 2018
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