Phil Mickelson put himself in more than fine position to win the 2013 Scottish Open, but in the end his putting made for more drama than needed in Sunday’s final round in Inverness, Scotland. But Mickelson didn’t need putting on the first playoff hole against Branden Grace as he chipped a ball a few feet shy of the cup, leading to a tap-in birdie and the win.
Scottish Open 2013 results: Phil Mickelson chips past Branden Grace for win
Lefty left the door open and needed an impressive chip on a playoff hole to hold onto the victory.
Warren Little
It was Mickelson’s first victory in Europe since 1993’s Tournoi Perrier de Paris.
With a shot lead on Grace entering the final hole of the round, Mickelson bogeyed by three-putting from 20 feet out and it was on to extra holes. In the playoff, his chip shot on a 607-yard, par 5 dropped just beyond the hole and rolled backward for an easy tap-in birdie. Grace missed a long putt to force another playoff hole to give Mickelson the victory.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson entered the final round at Castle Stuart Golf Links with a two-shot lead on Lefty and Grace, who each finished 3-under on the day to put them at 17-under.
Mickelson opened his round poorly. He double-bogeyed on the first hole but birdied on three of his next four. Grace had a much more even day, playing to par through the first eight holes before bogeying on his ninth. He would record four birdies and five pars on the back nine.
Stenson and JB Hansen of Denmark finished 15-under in a third-place tie. Scotland’s own Martin Laird finished 4-under in the final round to move into a fifth-place tie with Northern Ireland’s Gareth Maybin and England’s John Parry.
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