Phil Mickelson Takes All In $9 Million Match Play Event Against Tiger Woods
(CNN) -- The two biggest names in men's golf over the past two decades faced off Friday for the first time in match play and Phil Mickelson edged his old rival Tiger Woods on the fourth extra hole.
The $9 million winner-take-all, head-to-head event, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in the desert near Las Vegas, was close for 22 holes, with neither golfer ever leading by more than one hole.
Mickelson, the three-time Masters champion, won 1-up with a last-hole birdie.
Mickelson, 48, also won $600,000 in charity side bets, as he was closest to the pin on three of the Par 3s. But he missed a birdie putt on the first hole and will donate $200,000 to Woods' handpicked charity.
The two struggled with the greens all day.
Mickelson retook the lead of the much-hyped event on the par-4 15th hole when Woods missed a par putt.
On the next hole, a long par-5, Woods, 42, missed a birdie putt that would have tied the match.
That gave Mickelson a chance to win the hole on the par-3 17th hole (there was no side-bet challenge). Mickelson hit a solid drive to the green and Woods sent his to the back edge. Tiger drilled a 21-foot chip before Mickelson barely missed a 10-foot putt.
Each player birdied the par-5 final hole of regulation; Tiger made his putt then let Mickelson pick up his ball, conceding Mickelson would make it.
They played the hole again as sunlight diminished, and Mickelson's approach shot went in a bunker. After he pitched out his third shot, Mickelson missed his long birdie putt.
Woods missed his 8-foot birdie effort for the huge payday.
The final hole used the practice green for the tee box and course workers put in a new hole on the 18th green.
Both players parred the 93-yard hole on the first go. It took two more goes before the winner birdied under the lights.
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