Mickelson Dashes To Sprint Finish

Golf

Setting tournament records for the third straight day, Phil Mickelson cruised to victory Sunday in the Sprint International in Castle Rock, Colo.

The left-handed Mickelson had five birdies and a bogey, finishing with 48 points under the modified Stableford scoring system used in this event, for a seven-point margin over Stuart Appleby.

Skip Kendall, the only player to put any heat on Mickelson during the final round, finished with 38.

Posting the 11th PGA Tour victory of his career and his second this season, Mickelson locked up a berth on the U.S. Ryder Cup team after having slipped to ninth in the race for the 10 automatic spots. His victory was worth 150 points, vaulting him into fifth place behind Tiger Woods, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard and Jim Furyk.

Mickelson, 27, became the first multiple winner of the International in its 12-year history.

Mickelson, who set tournament scoring records for 36 holes (27 points) and 54 holes (39 points), also exceeded his own 72-hole record of 45 points, which he set in winning in 1993.

The scoring system awards five points for an eagle, two for a birdie, 0 for a par, minus-1 for a bogey and minus-3 for a double bogey or worse.

Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett finished the day with a net loss of a point, for a total of 23, good for $23,800.

Mickelson, who began the day with a five-point lead over Kendall, birdied the first hole to boost his total to 41 points, then added birdies at Nos. 4 and 5.

Appleby also was runnerup to Mickelson at Bay Hill this season. Kendall, who has bounced between the Nike and PGA tours the last five seasons, assured himself of his best season on the PGA Tour.

BankBoston Classic

Hale Irwin birdied the last two holes for a two-stroke victory over Jerry McGee and Bob Wynn in the $1 million BankBoston Classic in Concord, Mass.

Irwin, who shared the lead of the Senior PGA Tour event with Bob Betley heading into the final round, dropped into a threeway tie with McGee and Wynn when he bogeyed the 16th hole, his first of the tournament at Nashawatuc Country Club.

But the closing birdies gave Irwin a closing 5-under-par 67, a 54-hole total of 13-under 203 and his sixth victory in 15 senior starts this year. The first prize of $150,000 boosted his tour-leading 1997 earnings to nearly $1.5 million while closing in on the $10 million career mark since joining the PGA Tour in 1968.

McGee and Wynn, playing just ahead of Irwin, parred the last two holes and stood by while the 52-year-old favorite staged his fabulous finish. McGee had a 67 and Wynn a 66 in tying for second at 205.

Wentworth Senior Masters

South Africa’s Gary Player won his 162nd professional title, closing with a 2-under-par 70 for a one-stroke victory in the Wentworth Senior Masters in Virginia Water, England.

Player, 62, a playoff winner last week in the Senior British Open at Portrush, Northern Ireland, had a 9-under 207 total on Wentworth’s Edinburgh Course. He earned $33,330.

“I’m as fit now as I was 30 years ago and I believe I’ll still be winning big tournaments when I’m 70,” said Player.

Spain’s Jose Maria Canizares (68) and England’s David Creamer (71) tied for second. Australia’s Terry Gale shot a course-record 65 to finish fourth at 209.