Mickelson Wins In Playoff

On a day when Grant Waite of New Zealand became the 10th player to shoot a 60 and two others tied the previous Phoenix Open record with 62s, Phil Mickelson had what it took to win.

Mickelson sank a 2-1/2-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole, beating the approach of darkness in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Justin Leonard by the narrowest of margins, to win his seventh PGA tournament and second this year.

Both had finished at 15-under-par 269, Mickelson shooting a 67 and Leonard a 69.

Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett shot 65 to finish at 280, 4-under par. Triplett earned $3,307.

At Kawaihae, Hawaii, Ray Floyd, trying to become the first player to win three consecutive Senior Skins events, picked up three skins worth $60,000 over the first three holes. But that was all he, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Jim Colbert could muster.

And to maintain the lead and to preserve the pot in the progressive tournament, Floyd had to roll in a 7-foot birdie putt at the 572-yard ninth hole to keep Colbert from banking $150,000.

With nine holes to go at the 6,938-yard Mauna Lani Resort South Course, the foursome will start at the 10th hole today with $180,000 on the line.

Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson were given special exemptions to this year’s U.S. Open at the annual meeting of the United States Golf Association in Orlando, Fla.

Also, Judy Bell, was elected the first female president of the organization.

At Singapore, Paul Eales of England and Australian Wayne Riley tied for the third-round lead in the Johnnie Walker Classic.