Mickelson wins Masters for first major
AUGUSTA, Ga., April 11 (UPI) -- In one of the best duels in golf history, Phil Mickelson silenced his critics Sunday by making a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win The Masters.
Mickelson fell two strokes behind Ernie Els on the back nine, but he birdied five of the last seven holes in one of the best back-nine performances in Augusta National history.
After putting his approach 15 feet past the hole at the uphill par-4 18th, Mickelson used a read from playing partner Chris DiMarco to sink the title-winning putt.
It was the first win in 43 major appearances as a professional for Mickelson, who long was considered the best player never to win a major.
Thelefthander did it by winning a showdown between two of the elite players in their generation. He became only the fourth player in history to birdie the 18th hole to win at Augusta.
Mickelson closed with a 3-under-par 69, giving him a 72-hole total of 9-under 279, a stroke better than Els and three better than K.J. Choi of South Korea.
Roddick clinches U.S. win in Davis Cup
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., April 11 (UPI) -- Andy Roddick's straight-sets victory over Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman on Sunday lifted the United States into the Davis Cup semifinals.
Roddick was tested early before pulling away for a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 6-0 triumph that gave the U.S. an unassailable 3-1 lead.
The 21-year-old Roddick fired 11 aces and won 81 points on his first serve, including a 152-miles per hour delivery that smashed his own record of 150 mph set in a first-round win over Austria in Connecticut in February.
The Americans advanced to home tie against Belarus, which completed a 5-0 rout of an injured Argentine team in Minsk. The U.S., 12-2 in its last 14 quarterfinals, reached the semifinals for the first time since 2002 when it fell to France in Paris.
Davenport beats Mauresmo, wins at Amelia
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla., April 11 (UPI) -- Lindsay Davenport won her second title of the year Sunday, 6-4, 6-4 over world No. 3 Amelie Mauresmo of France in the Bausch & Lomb Championships.
The fourth-seeded American reached the final at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells three weeks ago, but skipped the NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami. The move worked out as she won her first claycourt tournament since Madrid in 1999.
Davenport claimed her 40th career title to become only the 10th player in the Open Era to win 40 or more titles, tying her with Martina Hingis for ninth place. By pocketing the winners check of $93,000, she became just the fourth player to win more than $17 million in prize money.
Mauresmo was playing her first tournament in nine weeks after a back injury forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open.
Davenport prevented Mauresmo from winning her 11th career title and 300th match win.
Els thought he had control at Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga., April 11 (UPI) -- Erni Els overcame a rocky front nine Sunday to take control of the Masters, but Phil Mickelson stole the title from the South African star.
Els started the day three strokes behind Mickelson and Chris DiMarco but had a pair of eagles over the final 11 holes to take control.
"I was hitting the ball very solid, I was feeling so good out there," he said. "I felt I could have birdied every hole the way I was playing. I was really pumped up. I felt good."
Mickelson come home in 31, just a stroke off the back-nine record by a Masters champion. Els posted a 33, but it wasn't good enough.
"Well, I did what I had to do," he said. "I put the ball in play and gave myself opportunities. I'm very disappointed now, but I'll get over this, no problem. I feel like I'll win a major this year."
