Golf – HSBC Champions:World number two Phil Mickelson survived a nervous final hole to edge out South Africa's Ernie Els by one shot and win the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions following a thrilling final round in Shanghai.
With Els in the clubhouse following a nine-under-par 63, the third course record of the day, Mickelson survived finding rough twice on his final hole to claim a second HSBC Champions title in three years and second WGC title of his career following March's CA Championship success.
Mickelson signed for a final round three-under 69 to finish at 17-under-par overall.
Fellow three-time major winner Els will be left to rue his only bogey of the day at the 18th after hitting his approach into the water at the front of the green.
Ryan Moore carded a final round 68 to finish two shots off the pace in third, with Rory McIlroy boosting his Race to Dubai bid after a brilliant 63 earned him fourth on 14-under-par.
In an amazing front-nine run McIlroy birdied seven of his opening eight holes with a dropped shot at the third to turn in just 30 strokes. Further birdies came at the 14th, 16th and 17th. The result moves the 20-year-old up to second in the Race to Dubai, just over €50,000 behind Lee Westwood.
Pádraig Harrington (67) and Shane Lowry (72) finished six and five-under respectively.
Nick Watney's final round 71 ensured fifth ahead of another Race to Dubai contender Martin Kaymer (67) and an out-of-sorts Tiger Woods (72).
The world number one began the final round two shots behind Mickelson in second, but a level par 72 left Woods five adrift and tied for sixth with Kaymer following runner-up finishes on his previous two trips to Shanghai.
On a day Woods uncharacteristically missed several short putts, his round was summed up at the last as he hit through the green and into water to ship a third bogey of the day.
Alvaro Quiros (66) and Westwood (71) shared eighth at 11-under-par to leave the Order of Merit set for a thrilling climax with just two events remaining.
Almost unnoticed with the battle at the top of the leaderboard, Japan's Daisuke Maruyama, playing only his second event on The European Tour, earlier posted the first of the three new course records to claim a tie for 10th alongside Anthony Kim, Retief Goosen, Soren Kjeldsen, Francesco Molinari, Geoff Ogilvy and Pat Perez.
With third round leader Mickelson in the final group and two groups behind, Els tapped home a birdie at the par-three 17th to take the lead by one after beginning the day seven shots off the pace.
But then Els completely miss-hit his second shot into the five-par 18th and dumped his approach into the water at the front of the green.
Mickelson then saved a par at 16 with an 18 foot putt after appearing to be heading for a bogey after duffing his chipped second shot.
With Els eventually shipping a bogey at the last to post the clubhouse lead at 16 under, Mickelson rolled home a six foot birdie putt at the 17th to claim a one shot lead.
But the drama did not stop there as Mickelson hit his final tee shot into the crowd at the side of the fairway and was faced with a buried lie in the trampled rough.
With Els watching on TV, Mickelson could only advance into the rough with his second but held his nerve to find the green and with two putts for the title, rolled his first to within a foot before tapping home.
