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Mickelson wins three way playoff

Phil Mickelson, suffering from food poisoning all week carded a 66 in the last round of the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines to go into a three way tie with Davis Love111, the overnight leader who returned a 67 and Frank Lickliter who also scored 66.

All three players had the chance to win the tournament outright, Love had a 25foot eagle put to win on the 18th. Mickelson and Lickliter also missed eagle putts at the same hole.

In the play-off first hole over the 18th, Mickelson again missed an eagle putt to win, and both Love and Lickliter birdied the hole for all three players to go the 16th, the second of the sudden death play-off. Love took himself out of the play-off with a plugged 4-iron into the bunker"Like I said, I needed to to shoot the low round of the day, I didn't play great".

At the third play-off hole, the 17th, it may be the first time that a sudden death has been won with a double bogey. Both Mickelson and Lickliter drove into the canyon and after both had played again from the tee, Lickliter hit his wedge to 12 feet and then to his horror 3 putted from there for a 7. Mickelson saved from going into the canyon again by a friendly tree wedged to 25 feet and was safely in with 2 putts.

Mickelson who earned $630,000 has won five times in the past 12 months second only to Tiger Woods seven. Tiger closed to within one shot of the lead on the front nine but failed to birdie any of the par 5's to catch the leaders.

Mickelson was the first repeat winner of the Buick Invitational since J.C.Snead in 1976, while Lickliter still waits for his first win in 158 tournaments on the PGA Tour.

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