After week of feeling bad, latest victory feels better than ever

text size

Greenwood/Getty Images

Both Phil Mickelson and his fans felt much better after Mickelso'?s hard-fought victory on Sunday.

DORAL, Fla. -- Phil Mickelson had broken out into the cold sweats.

Nothing helped. He huddled under the covers in his room at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, trying desperately to get warm. He tried a hot shower but that didn't work. Neither did the steaming bath that came next.

"(I) almost burned myself trying to get warmed up," Mickelson said.

More CA Champ.

Daily Wrap-up
Round 4 Live Report
Mickelson's transcript
Sunday's notebook
Sunday's photo gallery

That's when he and his entourage -- caddy Bones Mackay, publicist T.R. Reinman and trainer Sean Cochran -- decided Mickelson needed medical attention. So they went to a local urgent care facility Saturday night, where he spent two hours hooked to an IV.

And the next afternoon Mickelson went out and won a golf tournament.

His performance Sunday at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship -- the way he played the entire week, in fact -- was remarkable given his condition. He was dehydrated Saturday, yes, but he'd been fighting a virus since the tournament began.

"Beware the ailing golfer," Mickelson said with a wry smile Sunday as he sat next to the dark Wedgwood blue Gene Sarazen Cup. "I knew going in I was going to play well."

The victory was the 36th of Mickelson's career, his second in three weeks and his first in a World Golf Championships event. And Mickelson moved to second in the FedExCup -- 51 points behind Geoff Ogilvy -- and in the Official World Golf Ranking, too.

"I'm very fortunate to have come out on top, and it feels great," Mickelson said.

Fortunate, indeed.

The popular left-hander had gotten back to his room shortly after 11 Saturday night. He didn't find out until later that his friends, fearful he had passed out in the tub, had been banging on the bathroom door to try to get his attention. He was in such a fog he hadn't heard them at all.

"I've got some incredible people helping me out," Mickelson said, paying special tribute to his long-time caddy. "I'm very appreciative to have those guys in my life."

His last real meal -- other than the peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches Mackay hunted down Saturday night -- had come after Thursday's first round. He'd been drinking Gatorade like it was going out of style, too. Still, Mickelson didn't let on until after he won the severity of the situation.

Mickelson stayed in bed until 1:30 p.m. on Sunday -- just 75 minutes before his final-round date with Nick Watney, who was tied with Mickelson for the lead. He stopped at the putting green for about 10 minutes and the range for 30 before stepping to the tee.

What unfolded afterward on Doral's Blue Monster Sunday afternoon was nothing short of spellbinding, as much for the caliber of play as for the story behind the scenes in the previous 24 hours.

The two players, both students of instructor Butch Harmon, matched each other shot for shot on the front nine. The golf was of the highest caliber; the suspense palpable as an enthusiastic crowd strained against the gallery ropes trying to get their fill.

Every time Mickelson threatened to pull away, Watney, who had won the Buick Invitational earlier this year, answered. He chipped in for birdie on the ninth hole, then rolled in an 8-foot eagle putt at the 10th hole to move back into a tie with Mickelson at 20 under.

"We saw some of the shots that Nick Watney hit today -- they were spectacular," Mickelson said appreciatively. "... I think he's an incredibly talented person, incredibly talented player, and he's one of the nicest players we have on TOUR.

"I look forward to him being on some of our team events. I think he's going to be a real asset."

When Watney made consecutive bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12, though, Mickelson went in for the kill. He had converted 21 of his 29 previous third-round leads into victories and Sunday would be another success.

Still, the outcome wasn't decided until the 72nd hole, one of the most formidable on the PGA TOUR. Watney's 30-footer to tie came up 2 inches short before Mickelson, who needed to two-putt from 26 feet, also scared the hole.

"It looked like it was tracking," Mickelson later said of Watney's birdie try. "But I felt like I had a pretty good look at mine for a win if I needed it."

In retrospect, Mickelson felt that his weakened condition may have worked in his favor -- no matter how many bottles of electrolytes he had to drink.

"I wasn't able to look at the leaderboard or worry about what other guys were doing," Mickelson said. "When Nick was hitting those great shots midway through the round, I didn't have time to worry about it or energy to worry about it."

"I was just worried about my own shot and try to maintain an even pace."

Mickelson hopes to be recovered in the next few days. After all, he had a lot on his agenda. Things like the Shell Houston Open, and a shot at a third Green Jacket.

"It feels great to have won here, because I knew that I was playing some good golf heading into here," Mickelson said. " It feels great because I'm starting my Masters run to Augusta. This is all part of the process.

"I enjoy this process of competing, being in the final group, tied for the lead, against a player who is playing some terrific golf, feeling that pressure, feeling that intensity, and how important each shot is throughout the entire round.

All of that adds to helping me or whoever, play better in the majors," he added. "And as well as being able to come out on top in a World Golf Championships where we have the best players in the world here competing; those are the reasons that it feels so good."