Phil Mickelson made the senior tour look like a breeze.
With another outstanding round on Wednesday Mickelson recorded a wire-to-wire victory at the Charles Schwab Series in Ozarks National on Wednesday. Mickelson, who won by four, was the 20th player to win on his debut with the PGA Tour Champions.
Mickelson’s 191 points for the 54-hole event were the lowest in Tour history. At 22 under par, he finished four shots ahead of Tim Petrovic.
Mickelson seemed destined to break the 54-hole record until he played his last eight holes in 1 over. The total of 191 were previously shot by five players, most recently in 2013 by Rocco Mediate.
Full-field results from the Charles Schwab series at Ozarks National
“I really had a great time,” said Mickelson. “I enjoy competing. I have to score and compete and the competition is really tough here and I enjoyed getting off to a good start and playing well.”
Mickelson was a late addition to the senior field after missing the cut at the Northern Trust last week and unable to qualify for the FedExCup playoff second leg. With an unexpected two-week break, the 44-time PGA Tour winner decided last Friday to sign up for this week’s event in the Ozarks, knowing he was playing better than advertised. There was also added incentive when the US Open returned to Winged Foot next month, which saw Mickelson’s heartbreaking losses.
On the generous fairways of Ozarks National, Mickelson struck off with the driver and putted as well as he had for years. He made 24 birdies and an eagle to just four bogeys. He also led the field at driving distance, at 325 yards per pop. Jim Furyk did the feat last month too.
Mickelson will be taking off next week before teeing off at the PGA Tour Season Opener Safeway Open in Napa, California. This will be his last vote before the US Open, where he finishes second six times.
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