Monday, April 15, 2002
Another major eludes third-place Mickelson
The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Phil Mickelson opened the final round of the Masters with two birdies — a fantastic start that tempted his fans into believing he might finally overcome Tiger Woods in a major.
Just as quickly, Mickelson made two bogeys. He fell out of contention and stayed firmly in grasp of the title — say it together, now — The Best Player Never to Win a Major.
He shot 71, the same score as Woods, and finished at 8-under 280, four strokes behind. He never got closer to Woods than two strokes. He finished in third place.
“This week was a very enjoyable week,” he said. “I know a lot of people have been very supportive of me.”
SHARK TANKS: With a string of four straight bogeys on holes 4 through 7, Greg Norman knew early there would be no final-round magic at Augusta — again. He wasn't even sure he'd be back.
“I'm not a prophet,” he said after finishing 6 over for the tournament. “I can't answer that.”
Norman was in the field this year courtesy of a special invitation from Augusta National.
He's not a member of the PGA Tour, so any money he makes in the handful of tournaments he plays can't get him onto the top 40 of the money list. He won't be in the top 50 of the world rankings anytime soon. He would need to go through a 36-hole qualifier just to make the U.S. Open, where a top-8 finish would earn him an invite. A top-4 at the British, where he has an exemption through 65, would get him in — and that might be his best chance.
TIGER TV: The third round of the Masters drew its third-highest overnight TV ratings ever, trailing only other years when Tiger Woods won the tournament. CBS Sports' telecast produced a 7.0 overnight rating and 17 share Saturday.
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Another major eludes third-place Mickelson
