Local hero David Toms shot a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to erase a
six-stroke deficit and emerge from a pack to win the Compaq Classic in New
Orleans much to the delight of the home crowd.
Phil Mickelson opened the final round with a three-shot lead but played the
first five holes in four-over en route to a 72 and his second runner-up showing
of the year.
The world number two had a share of the lead with Toms at 20-under but hooked
his drive into the water at the par-five 15th and took a bogey and then never
got back into the hunt.
Toms, a Cajun who attended Louisiana State University, was three strokes off
the pace before playing holes 9-12 in five-under.
Toms sank a 22-foot birdie putt at the 18th to seal the win - having played
the final 36 holes in 17-under and finishing at 22-under-par on 266.
It gave him his fourth title in 154 PGA Tour events and a £500,000 top prize.
Mickelson was second with a 20-under total of 268, while Ernie Els of South
Africa, who shared the lead at the turn, was third on 269.
"Obviously, I played extremely well today and Phil didn't play so well, so I guess that was the difference," said Toms.
"Next to my first victory, it's right up there.
"It could be running even with that first win, just because of the way it all happened."
Mickelson said: "I was just hoping I would have a chance, but fifteen was the ultimate killer."
Final scores
(USA unless stated, Par 72):
266 D Toms 66 73 63 64
268 P Mickelson 66 66 64 72
269 E Els (Rsa) 67 69 65 68
270 H Frazar 68 65 66 71
271 B Gay 66 66 70 69, C Smith 73 66 66 66
272 C Howell 69 71 63 69
273 S Ames (Tri) 69 70 65 69, F Lickliter 67 71 67 68, S Lowery 71 67 66 69
274 G Chalmers (Aus) 70 71 66 67, J Durant 67 71 68 68, D Hart 71 70 65 68, S
Hoch 69 72 63 70, B May 67 73 66 68, D Peoples 68 69 71 66, J Sluman 69 72 66 67
275 D Duval 69 68 69 69, J Edwards 69 69 70 67, J Kelly 68 67 71 69, Pernice
Jr 66 74 68 67
176 S Maruyama (Jpn) 67 71 70 68, N Price (Zim) 69 69 69 69, B Tway 69 71 68 68
277 D Ellis 73 66 70 68, J Hart 70 69 69 69, N Lancaster 70 71 65 71, JL Lewis
69 69 74 65, S Stricker 69 72 65 71, C Tidland 66 69 71 71
278 S Dunlap 69 72 67 70, B Watts (Can) 64 72 71 71
279 W Austin 68 72 65 74, K Clearwater 65 70 72 72, R Cochran 68 74 66 71, J
Cook 70 71 67 71, C Franco (Par) 69 68 70 72, B Glasson 68 73 70 68, P Gow (Aus)
70 70 66 73, G Hjertstedt (Swe) 70 70 66 73, K Triplett 68 71 69 71
280 B Henninger 68 70 67 75, B McCallister 69 69 68 74, K Perry 64 77 69 70, S
Simpson 68 71 67 74, H Sutton 67 73 68 72, S Verplank 67 73 69 71, B Wilson 65
70 74 71
281 C Beckman 72 70 70 69, J Carter 65 71 75 70, R Freeman 71 68 71 71
282 P Jordan 71 70 70 71, J Kaye 69 73 64 76, P Stankowski 61 77 72 72
283 F Allem (Rsa) 69 72 70 72, B Geiberger 68 73 70 72, C Kanada 71 70 72 70,
G Norman (Aus) 70 72 71 70, D Pride 71 69 69 74
284 M Clark 70 71 68 75, M Dawson 71 71 68 74, T Tolles 67 75 69 73, T Tryba
67 72 71 74, M Weir (Can) 68 74 74 68
285 J Riegger 69 73 71 72, G Waite (Nzl) 71 69 70 75, K Yokoo (Jpn) 70 72 67 76
286 B Hughes (Aus) 70 70 69 77
287 A Magee 68 73 73 73, A McLardy (Rsa) 70 71 72 74
291 M Goggin (Aus) 69 73 75 74
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