SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Fairmont native William McGirt made a costly triple-bogey on the final hole of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, but he still cashed a check of almost $36,000 in his second start of the season.
Phil Mickelson won the event and his 41st career title in near-record fashion.
McGirt, who had opened with rounds of 67, 66 and 69, was at 4 under par for the day, 15 under for the tournament and tied for 14th in the tournament, when he drove into the water on No. 18 and took a penalty shot. He needed 5 more shots to finish the par 4, and fell into a tie for 32nd place at 12 under par for the tournament.
One of the highlights of the day for McGirt was birdieing No. 16, a par 3 that is famous on the tour for its stadium-like setting and a raucous crowd that is unusual for the PGA Tour. McGirt’s approach was about 8 feet from the hole, he sunk the putt to an approving roar, and followed that up with a birdie on No. 17.
McGirt won $35,882.50, but the final-hole triple-bogey cost him about $75,000.
He stands at 102nd on the money list with $48,315 in earnings, having made the cut in both of his starts this year. He is scheduled to play the next two tournaments, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am that begins Thursday and next week’s Northern Trust Open.
Mickelson shot a 4-under 67 to finish at 28-under-par 256, two strokes off the PGA Tour record of 254 set by Tommy Armour III in the 2003 Texas Open, and won $1.116 million. Mickelson, a popular left-hander and a Hall of Famer, has now won at least one tournament in each of the last 10 seasons.
Brandt Snedeker came in second at 24 under par and won $669,600.
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