Longest Nissan Open playoff in 25 years, or since Watson came from behind to beat Johnny Miller on the third playoff hole.
The keys to this were: 1) Howell's ballsy six footer for par on the 18th hole in regulation, and 2) Mickelson's decision to gorilla an 8-iron second shot from 204 yards on the same hole. TV doesn't do justice to how much uphill that hole plays, he had a not-so-cool lie in one of the few patches of kikuyu rough that was actually gnarly this week and even (slightly) downwind with the ball above his feet and a hook lie, he wasn't getting home from there with that club.
From his transcript....
"I just thought downwind an 8 iron was enough. I wanted it to fly 185. It was 180 to the front. That green was brick hard. I thought an 8 iron downwind would make it, but it just didn't. "
Nice redemption and a good win for Chuckie Three Sticks, who let this one get away in a two-hole playoff to Mike Weir four years ago. In fact, after he drove onto the cart path on No. 10 in the playoff, two writers in the media center and myself almost said simultaneously "We've seen this before..."
