Phil Mickelson back in world top ten

By MARK LAMPORT-STOKES
Published on 05/02/2013 01:53

PHIL Mickelson is back in the world’s top ten for the first time since last May after his wire-to-wire victory at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Mickelson, who just missed out on a 59 in the opening round, finished four clear of Brandt Snedeker and improves from 22nd to 10th on the rankings, while Snedeker, also runner-up to Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines a week earlier, is up to a career-high sixth.

Already a three-times champion at the Masters, the resurgent Mickelson served notice he will again be among the front-runners for the year’s opening major by completing his victory at the Phoenix Open.

The American left-hander, who has made a career habit of winning in the first four months of the PGA Tour season, triumphed by four shots after closing with a four-under-par 67 at the TPC Scottsdale.

It was the 28th time Mickelson had triumphed on the PGA Tour before the end of April, while the title was his 41st overall on the US circuit.

He has now won at least once in 20 different seasons on American soil, with only Sam Snead (24 seasons) and Jack Nicklaus (21) ahead of him.