Mickelson holds nerve to triumph

Phil Mickelson landed his second title of the year when he held off Nick Watney at the WGC-CA Championship on Sunday.

Mickelson, who had been treated overnight for heat exhaustion and dehydration, showed no ill effects from his visit to a hospital emergency room as he outfought fellow American Watney over the back nine at Doral having emerged from a see-saw battle with the world number 78 in the first half of the final round.

World number three Mickelson parred the final seven holes to collect the US dollars 1.4 million winner's cheque with a last-day 69 to finish at 19 under par, one shot better than his overnight co-leader Watney.

It was his first World Golf Championships victory and his 36th on the PGA Tour, adding to his Northern Trust Open win at Riviera Country Club last month.

Jim Furyk was a strong-finishing third at 16 under par following a closing 67, with India's Jeev Milkha Singh fourth on 14 under.

England's Oliver Wilson scored his best finish on the US PGA Tour when he shot a 66 to finish in a tie for fifth place alongside Colombia's Camilo Villegas, with Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen and Thomas Aiken of South Africa tied for seventh on 12th under.

World number one Tiger Woods produced his second 68 of the weekend to finish tied for ninth with Rod Pampling of Australia and fellow American Kenny Perry at 11 under, to maintain his record of always finishing in the top 10, both in WGC stroke play events and at Doral.

The lead had changed hands three times between Mickelson and Watney over the front nine with Watney holing in a chip at the ninth from 80 feet and from beneath the hole at the back of the green, and between a spectator stand and a television tower.

Both men birdied the 10th to go to 20 under but Watney dropped a shot at the 11th and they both bogeyed the 12th.

Furyk moved to 16 under with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes but Mickelson kept his nerve to par all his remaining holes and stay one shot ahead of his rival.

Watney had one final chance to put pressure on Mickelson on the last green with a birdie putt from 29 feet on the fringe but his ball stopped just a couple of feet short, and Mickelson putted from inside three feet for victory.

Wilson was delighted with his week and a final-round, six-birdie, no-bogey 66 on the par-72 Blue Monster course.

Wilson said afterwards: 'It feels pretty good to be honest.

'Yesterday was probably one of the best rounds I've played for a while, shooting level, I really hung in and ground it out and it gave me a chance to do what I did today so it worked out pretty good.'

Ian Poulter wrapped things up for a final-round 69 to finish on 10 under in a seven-way tie for 13th that included Soren Hansen of Denmark and Spain's Alvaro Quiros

Rory McIlroy's tournament ended in disappointing fashion with a bogey at the last for a final-round 73 but the 19-year-old from Northern Ireland still managed a second consecutive top-20 finish in the US having finished tied for 13th at the Honda Classic.

McIlroy finished in a tie for 20th at nine under par, the same mark achieved by, among others, Luke Donald (72), Ernie Els (70), Padraig Harrington (71) and Justin Rose (68).

Richard Finch had started his round with a four birdies in a row but ended his week with a double-bogey six at the last to card a 71 and finish at four under, one better than fellow Englishman Ross Fisher.