Mickelson wins Tour Championship; Woods takes FedEx Cup

ATLANTA -- Phil Mickelson capped a tumultuous summer at home with a spectacular rally yesterday to win the Tour Championship.

Tiger Woods finished another big year by winning the FedEx Cup and its $10 million bonus.

Golf's two biggest stars shared the stage at East Lake with trophies that were meaningful in different ways.

Mickelson seized control with a 31 on the front nine and closed with a 5-under 65 for a three-shot victory, his first since his wife and his mother were diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring. Both have a positive outlook in the recovery, although it has been an emotional burden for Lefty over the past three months.

For the third time this year, Woods struggled while playing in the final pairing. He didn't make a birdie until the 15th hole, and by then it was too late to catch Mickelson. Woods closed with a par 70, ending his playoff streak of eight rounds in the 60s,and was alone in second.

Even so, he received quite a consolation prize -- a FedEx Cup title that rewarded him for a remarkable year in which he came back from major knee surgery not knowing what to expect. Woods won six times, and was either first or second in more than half his events.

Mickelson, who returned to No. 2 in the world with his victory, finished at 9-under 271. He needed Woods to finish eighth or worse to have any chance in the FedEx Cup, although Mickelson still climbed to No. 2 and earned a $3 million bonus, on top of his $1.35 million for winning the Tour Championship.

Four players had a chance to win the FedEx Cup along the back nine.

Kenny Perry was the projected winner until he chopped up the par-5 ninth with a bogey and completed his meltdown on the back nine on his way to a 74. Steve Stricker, who only had to finish ahead of Woods when it became clear Mickelson would win the tournament, was in position to do that until mud on his ball in the 16th fairway led to a bogey. Stricker shot a 69 and finished sixth.

Mickelson closed the decade with bookend victories at East Lake. He also won the Tour Championship in 2000 when he rallied to beat Woods in the final round. This one was even more impressive.

Confident as ever from his putting tips from former PGA champion Dave Stockton, Mickelson rolled in consecutive birdie putts of 15 feet on No. 3 and 30 feet on No. 4, then pulled into a share of the lead with an approach that caught the lip at No. 8 for a tap-in birdie.

He played the final 20 holes of the Tour Championship without a bogey.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

Pernice wins in debut

CARY, N.C. -- Tom Pernice Jr. became the 15th player to win in his Champions Tour debut, sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Nick Price and David Frost in the SAS Championship.

Pernice, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 13-under 203 on the Prestonwood Country Club course. Frost shot a 67 and Price 68.

LPGA TOUR

Gustafson wins by 4

DANVILLE, Calif. -- Sophie Gustafson is finally an LPGA Tour winner again, cruising to a four-stroke victory over top-ranked Lorena Ochoa in the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge.

The 35-year-old Swede shot a 4-under 68 at Blackhawk Country Club and finished at 20-under 268 to win her first title since the 2003 Samsung World Championship.

She took home the $165,000 winning purse for her fifth career tour victory.