Randhawa falters to end 19th, Mickelson edges out Els

SHANGHAI - India’s Jyoti Randhawa rolled down the leaderboard from overnight eighth position to tied 19th at the end of Asias first-ever World Golf Championship (WGC) event at HSB Champions here Sunday.

Randhawa, two-over after the front nine, returned an even par 72, to stay at eight-under for four rounds.

Up the leaderboard World Number two Phil Mickelson survived a nervous 72nd hole to beat back South Africa’s Ernie Els by one shot following a pulsating final round in Shanghai. It was Mickelsons second WGC title following WGC-CA success in March.

Tiger Woods, looking for his 17th WGC title, ended sixth with a round of 72 that saw him miss several putts and four-over stretch between fourth and seventh holes.

Randhawa, was unable to build on his birdie start, as he bogeyed the fourth and double bogeyed the ninth. But on the back nine, Randhawa got back the two shots with birdies on the 14th and 16th for a 72.

Els starting the day seven shots behind Mickelson and playing in the third last group, burnt the course with a front nine 30 that included four birdies and an eagle. He continued in the same vein on the back nine and was in sole lead briefly, as he moved to 10-under for the day and 17-under for the tournament with a birdie on the 17th. Mickelson, playing two groups behind, in the lead group, was 16-under after 16 holes.

With Mickelson in the final group and two groups behind, Els tapped home a birdie at the par three 17th to take the lead by one after beginning the day seven shots off the pace. Then Els completely mishit his second shot into the par five 18th and dumped his approach into the water at the front of the green.

Mickelson then saved a par at the 16th with an 18-foot putt that appeared to be heading for a bogey after duffing his chipped second shot. As Els bogeyed the at the last for his only lapse and post the clubhouse lead at 16-under, Mickelson rolled home a six-foot birdie putt at the 17th to claim a one shot lead.

The drama did not stop there as Mickelson hit his final tee shot into the crowd at the side of the fairway and was faced with a buried lie in the trampled rough.

As Els watched him on TV, Mickelson could only advance into the rough with his second but held his nerve to find the green and with two putts for the title, rolled his first to within a foot before tapping home.

“This is my last event of the year. I won’t play again until the end of January, and so to finish the year with this victory feels wonderful,” said Mickelson, whose winning total of 17-under-par 271 was worth $1.2 million.

There were two other stunning rounds of 63 each from Rory McIlroy and Daisuke Maruyama. Young McIlroy ended fourth and Maruyama, playing only his second European Tour event, finished tenth.

Ryan Moore carded a final round 68 to finish two shots off the pace in third, with Rory McIlroy boosting his Race to Dubai bid after a brilliant 63 earned fourth at 14 under.

Nick Watney’s final round 71 ensured fifth ahead of another Race to Dubai contender, Martin Kaymer (67), and an out-of-sorts Tiger Woods.

Woods began the final round two shots behind Mickelson in second, but a level par 72 left him five adrift and tied for sixth with Kaymer following runner-up finishes on his previous two trips to Shanghai.

Woods uncharacteristically missed several short putts and his round was summed up at the last as he hit through the green and into water to land a third bogey of the day.

Alvaro Quiros (66) and Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood (71) shared eighth at 11 under to set up a thrilling climax with just two events remaining.

Maruyama, Anthony Kim, Retief Goosen, Soren Kjeldsen, Francesco Molinari, Geoff Ogilvy and Pat Perez tied for 10th.

Asias top finisher was Maruyama, who was the first player to establish a new course mark of 63 earlier in the day.