(Duluth, Georgia, February 6, 2006) — Phil Mickelson, who captured last year’s BellSouth Classic in a dramatic 5-way playoff, will defend his title this year, March 27-April 2 at TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth. He will attempt to become the first three-time winner of the tournament, having also won in 2000. Mickelson, along with 143 more of the world’s best players, will compete for a first prize check of $954,000. Now in its 38th year, the 72-hole PGA TOUR event offers a total purse of $5.3 million, a $300,000 increase from last year. Here are some quick facts on Mickelson, the 4th ranked player in the world:
Mickelson captured his second BellSouth Classic title last year in the rain-shortened event defeating Rich Beem, Brandt Jobe, Arjun Atwal and Jose Maria Olazabal in a four-hole playoff. It was the 26th title of his career and third of the year. He would also go on to win the PGA Championship, his second major win, later in the year. Both of his BellSouth wins have been rain-shortened. In 2000 he topped Gary Nicklaus in a playoff.
In the TOUR’s statistical categories last year, he ranked 1st in scoring average before the cut (68.88), 2nd in birdie average (4.41) and par breakers (24.8%), 3rd in total money ($5,699,605), 5th in scoring average (69.39) and 8th in the All-around ranking (414).
At last fall’s President’s Cup matches he was paired with Chris DiMarco in four of five matches, posting a 3-0-2 record to aid the winning United States effort. He halved Sunday singles match against Angel Cabrera. He has been a member of the last six President’s Cup teams and the last five Ryder Cup squads.
"Lefty" is off to a solid start so far this year. In three events, he has a tie for 5th at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, a tie for 8th at the Buick Invitational and a tie for 7th at the FBR Open this past weekend. His earnings figure of $497,567 ranks 13th on the TOUR and puts him over the $35.5 million mark in career money which ranks 3rd all-time.
He is the all-time leading winner in BellSouth Classic history with $2,013,416 thanks to six top 10s in eight starts including his two wins.
Prior to 2000, he had never won professionally in Georgia. That year he captured both the BellSouth Classic and THE TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Mickelson won the 1991 Northern Telecom Open as an amateur. He was the first amateur since Scott Verplank in 1985 to win a TOUR event and is the last to do so.
He is a native of California and went to college in Arizona. No less than 16 of his 27 career wins have taken place in those two states.
He won the 1990 US Amateur, becoming the only left-handed player ever to do so.
Mickelson joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to ever win the NCAA Championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same year. PGA TOUR rookie Ryan Moore did it in 2004. He is also is one of just four golfers to be named first team college All-American four consecutive years. Others were Gary Hallberg, David Duval and Bryce Molder.
Tournament note:
There have been several changes to the course since the 2005 event. The 9th hole green complex was completely re-done and several holes have added length. The yardage on the 5th hole went from 418 to 441 yards, the 9th from 465 to 472 yards and 10 changed from 608 to 628 yards. The roughly 50 additional yards bring the course total to approximately 7,343.
Contact:
John Marshall
Media Director
(770) 436-2643
Brent Fowler
BellSouth Corporation
(404) 249-2839
