Columnist Dean Juipe: Mickelson puts a big one in the win column

Dean Juipe

Monday, April 12, 2004 | 9:35 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

The ball slipped into the cup as if by magic, disappearing rather than rimming out or sliding by as it appeared as if it might.

At once, Phil Mickelson and millions of golf fans had their most pertinent wish granted. A great and noble player had, at last, won a major.

Sinking one of the most dramatic putts in history and capping the most sentimental of the 67 Masters that have been played, Mickelson sprung himself from a mentally draining stockade with an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to defeat Ernie Els by a stroke. As the ball was willed into the hole by Mickelson and those at Augusta National and those watching on TV, a troubled world bunny hopped at a brisk, Easter-rosy pace.

Someone else -- someone such as Sergio Garcia, perhaps -- can now carry the burden of being known as the best player to never have won a major. Mickelson is through with that rap.

With a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye all afternoon, Mickelson did what had been expected of him for more than a decade. After countless close calls, he won a big event and did it with a memorable putt at a most opportune time.

"Can you believe it?" he asked his infant daughter as he held her in his arms just moments after putting an exclamation point on an '04 Masters that also included the teary-eyed retirement of Arnold Palmer. The fact that the little girl did not reply only likened her to everyone else who was watching, left speechless as they were by her father's mastery manipulation of fate.

"This is my day, this is the day," Mickelson said of the thoughts that ran through his mind as he played an immensely pressurized round in which he opened in a tie for the lead, dropped three strokes behind Els and shot 31 on the back nine to win. "I just kept believing something good was going to happen."

Something good?

What happened at the 72nd hole easily surpassed the definition of good. In fact, it ran the stoplight at great and sped straight to legendary.

A popular player had further endeared himself with a clutch putt that appeared to be steering left as it came within range of the cup. But, whether by karma or luck or a massive dose of willpower, it fell in rather than skimmed by and a victory of Arthurian quality was thrust upon the masses.

Mickelson, 33, a noted family man, extreme sport enthusiast and gambler, exorcised the only demon that had plagued him through what has been a lifetime of wealth, success and good fortune. That he did it this week in his 47th major wasn't so much a surprise as it was a relief for everyone involved.

The table was set for something like this, of course. Mickelson came into the tournament as the PGA tour's No. 1 player, having finished in the top 10 in seven of his previous eight tournaments this year.

He also was hitting more fairways (63 percent vs. 49 percent) and more greens in regulation (No. 19 on tour vs. No. 107) than he was last year, sacrificing a little distance for better control.

That control was lacking on the front nine Sunday as Mickelson missed the green at five consecutive holes between Nos. 2 and 6 to fall behind Els, who had two eagles during his round of 67.

If anything, a collapse was taking place as Mickelson and his fans suffered through two bogeys that bumped him from atop the leader board. He looked to be on the slippery slope to disgrace.

But -- bam! -- Mickelson reversed course with birdies at Nos. 12, 13, 14 and 16 to catch Els, who was playing a hole and a half ahead. And with Els on the practice green warming his stroke in preparation for a playoff, Mickelson played the 18th with a purpose.

He cracked a 3-wood into position off the tee and grooved his approach to a line that allowed him to see playing partner Chris DeMarco putt first on a nearly identical path. Unlike the slick, rainbow-arc putts that define Augusta National, this one was fairly straightforward despite the built-in supposition that it would be tough to make.

"Lefty" is no stranger when it comes to chances to win a major, regularly contending and frequently finishing second or third or at least in the top 10. Sympathizers felt he was snake bit or jinxed as the close calls mounted.

As he stood over what would be the tournament's final putt, those who believe in crossing their fingers or fingering their crosses pulled out all the stops. If the 18-footer would drop, a burden would be lifted.

Seconds later as the ball fell into the hole, disbelief vied with euphoria to create a scintillating roar. It was Easter and a miracle had happened.

Phil Mickelson, his mouth agape and a green jacket in store, was the recipient of a most welcome blessing.