The putt wasn't nearly as long as his 18-footer to win the Masters last year, and there was no need to jump for joy this time.
Phil Mickelson reacts to his greenside flop shot that set up birdie to win the PGA Championship.
It was the first Monday finish at the PGA Championship in 19 years. And not since 1986 at Inverness had a player from the last group won with a birdie on the 72nd hole at the final major.
Bob Tway got his by holing a bunker shot to deny Greg Norman. Mickelson's chip from about 50 feet wasn't nearly dramatic, but it was no less effective.
Steve Elkington, then Thomas Bjorn, came to the 554-yard closing hole with a chance to make birdie. Elkington grazed the left edge of the cup from 10 feet. Bjorn pulled his second shot into the left bunker and blasted to 20 feet, his putt looking good all the way until it caught the inside edge of the cup and spun out.
Mickelson was 247 yards away, some 10 yards behind the plaque in the fairway that commemorated the 1-iron Jack Nicklaus hit to the green in 1967 to win the U.S. Open. He tapped it twice with his 4-wood for luck, but the shot came up short in grass that covered the tops of his shoes.
The flop came out perfect, and Mickelson raised his arms and lightly pumped his fist twice. The final putt was merely a tap-in, giving Lefty another year with a major trophy.
``It was a shot that I struggled with out of the rough this week,'' Mickelson said. ``I tried to remember some of the shots I hit as a kid in my backyard. I hit it aggressively, and the ball popped up nicely, and it rolled smoothly.''
Mickelson closed with a 2-over 72, playing the final four holes Monday morning at even par.
He joined Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Curtis Strange as the only players in the last 20 years to win majors in consecutive years.
``If there's anybody you'd back to get up-and-down from there, it's Phil Mickelson,'' Bjorn said. ``He's not a one-major guy, he's a 10-major guy. And it's going to be easier and easier for him to win them now.''
Mickelson finished at 4-under 276 and earned $1.17 million for his fourth victory of the year, matching Woods and Vijay Singh for the most on the PGA Tour this year. He also moved ahead of Ernie Els to No. 3 in the world rankings.
Elkington shot 71 and Bjorn had a 72, both leaving Baltusrol haunted by missed chances.
``There's a lot to be said to be the last guy out there, having the final say,'' Elkington said. ``Thomas and I both had good chances to birdie 18 and couldn't do it.''
His par to finish at 3-under 277 meant Woods was free to leave.
Woods finished birdie-birdie Sunday afternoon before thunderstorms arrived and had to wait to make sure the half-dozen guys still on the course and in contention didn't falter.
