It’s taken 14-years but Phil Mickelson has gone ahead of arch-rival Tiger Woods in ending a year-long winless drought by capturing the Shell Houston Open.
 
Mickelson’s last victory anywhere was at Augusta National and he heads to the Georgia golfing gem winning by three shots with a final round 65 for a 20-under par tally.
 
The last person to win an event the week before the season’s first Major was Mickelson in capturing the 2005 BellSouth Classic.
 
Mickelson, who captured his 39th PGA Tour title, also will go ahead of Tiger Woods in the world rankings for a first time since 1997 and just prior to Woods winning the first of his four Augusta green jackets.
 
Mickelson was then ninth in the world and Woods 13th but with Woods to now drop to seventh and Mickelson up from sixth to third. 

“Houston has always been a special place for me and to win in this city is very special to me,” said Mickelson.

“But as for being a favourite this week, well that is not for me to day.  I am more concerned about getting my game into shape for Augusta as this golf course can be very penalising.”

In contrast, World No. 2 Lee Westwood, who lost out in a head-to-head Augusta final round a year ago, has some work ahead of him in finishing T30th.
 
Westwood slammed his club into his bag and knocked it over after putting his ball from a fairway bunker at 18 into the water guarding the green.
 
But it wasn’t Westwood’s bunker play that’s of concern but his putting.
 
“My putting atrocious and I couldn’t putt to save my life,” said Westwood.
 
“I must have missed four or five putts inside 10-feet which ought to be gimmes on these quality greens. “
 
Westwood ended his round just as Mickelson was starting out that prompted an American reporter to boldly ask:  “Given you have finished so early you could probably squeeze in nine holes at Augusta.
 
And triple Major winning Padraig Harrington has vowed to shave off his beard in finishing tied eighth after a closing round 70 for an 11-under par tally.
 
“This beard will be gone tomorrow morning when I get up, and besides it’s starting to itch,” said Harrington.
 
“But it’s been a good week for me.
 
“I am very confident about my game and in going to Augusta and the Majors, you want to be going into them either having won the week before or if not, being well up there in contention.”

Bernie McGuire in Houston,Texas.