Tune in at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday for the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Ryan Kelly will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
Hello and welcome to theScore's ongoing coverage of the PGA Tour. Today we present the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open from TPC Scottsdale.
Phil Mickelson -- who nearly shot a 59 in the opening round -- has set a blistering pace this week with rounds of 60, 65 and 64 to nearly break 36 and 54 hole scoring records.
He began the final round with a six stroke advantage over reigning FedEx Cup champion Brandt Snedeker and an eight stroke edge over three-time major champion Padraig Harrington.
Par 4 9th - From the middle of the fairway, Snedeker's approach doesn't quite carry far enough but gets a good first hop at the front of the green and kicks forward to leave him 35-feet or so for birdie. Mickelson, meanwhile, lands his middle of the green and nearly pin-high about 20-feet left of the flag.
If you took the totals from his first four tournaments -- including this one -- Brandt Snedeker would be a cumulative 60-under par this year
To get to that number: 2 eagles, 82 birdies, 23 bogeys and one double. That's, umm, pretty good.
Par 4 9th - Despite not carrying his approach far enough, Snedeker makes a birdie anyway, rolling in the long one. Mickelson with the chance to match, but he can't, and his lead going to the back nine will be down to just three.
Par 4 10th - Snedeker with a 3-wood off the tee at the shortish par four and he doesn't have enough juice to carry the fairway bunker at the apex of the dogleg right. Mickelson then with driver and he loses his to the right as well, riding along the cart path for a bit. Should be interesting to see what kind of lie he draws. Meanwhile, at the green, Ryan Moore had a look at birdie from just inside 5-feet and he was able to cash-in.
Worth noting: Last year Spencer Levin led after 54 holes by 6 strokes only to lose the tournament. Mickelson's lead going in to today was, of course, 6 strokes.
Also, in three of Snedeker's four PGA Tour wins, he's had to comeback from largest deficits.
Par 4 10th - Snedeker's ball is a touch below his feet and he has 116 yards to the hole and while he has the distance right, it's a bit left of target, leaving him about 20-feet for birdie. Mickelson was able to get relief from standing on the cart path which in turn took a try that would have been in his way out of his line. His approach flew right over the flag and stops about 15-feet past the hole.
Par 4 10th - Mickelson's birdie attempt will move a touch left down the hill as it runs out of speed and he doesn't quite play enough break, so he settles for par. Snedeker hit a beautiful putt of his own that just burned the left edge. He looks shocked that it didn't go in.
Par 4 11th - Ryan Moore drove it in the hazard on the left off the tee and after his drop, is in the middle of the green lying three with a 25-foot putt to save par. Back on the tee, both Mickelson and Snedeker take less than driver and find the right-side of the fairway.
Par 4 11th - Moore is able to roll in his par putt and avoid dropping one after finding the water.
Par 4 11th - Snedeker tries to shape in a baby draw with an 8-iron to the hole cut middle-left, but gets a little too much release and it rolls off the back of the green. Mickelson then shows some tremendous distance control, stopping his ball pin-high about 15-feet right of the cup.
@bushwood: He's been okay. More a matter right now of Snedeker making everything on the greens.
Par 3 12th - Moore's tee shot found the green-side bunker on the right and his recovery shot is not a good one. He doesn't make great contact and it leaves him with another long par attempt.
Par 4 11th - Snedeker's putt from just off the green was tracking on line, but wasn't hit hard enough and comes up a few inches short. Mickelson's was pretty straight but he makes the same mistake as Snedeker, as it comes up short while tracking on line.
Par 3 12th - Moore's par attempt from just inside 20-feet looks to be on a good line, but just misses on the right. He'll drop back to -19.
Par 3 12th - With the hole cut front-right, very close to water, Snedeker's ball lands front-left and is a good, safe shot at the hardest hole on the course. Mickelson then tries to hit a mini draw to access the flagstick and he splits the difference between Snedeker's ball and the hole. Another solid, iron shot for Phil.
Par 3 12th - After leaving his last birdie putt short, Snedeker over-compensates and hits this one a little too firmly and it races a couple feet past.
@bushwood: Yeah, there was a lot of noise for the leaders on 11 tee.
Par 3 12th - After getting a tell on the line from Padraig Harrington's birdie putt, Mickelson can't get his to go and he looks surprised that it didn't turn in towards the hole.
@bushwood: With the shots he's hit into the last couple of greens, I would think he was expecting to cash-in at least one of them for birdie.
Par 5 13th - Snedeker's tee ball is lost to the left and he may need some luck to have any kind of shot. Probably will be a lay-up. Mickelson goes with less than driver and finds the left side of the fairway.
Turns out Snedeker's ball has found some jumping cholla, down at the base of it.
Par 5 13th - From just over 11-feet, Moore reads the left-to-right break perfectly and cashes-in for birdie to move back to -20.
Par 5 13th - Mickelson takes a rip at a 3-wood and just chases it on to the front of the green. He'll have a 30-40-footer for eagle coming up. Snedeker elects to take an unplayable lie and after a drop, his ball is in play. He takes out a 3-wood and tries to draw his approach in, but it comes up just short and finds the green-side bunker. Will need to get up-and-down to avoid dropping a shot.
Par 5 13th - Snedeker with a beautiful blast out of the sand, flying it all the way to hole and having it spin and stop about 4-feet from the cup.
Par 4 14th - Scott Piercy continues his hot round, rolling in another birdie putt to get to -20.
Par 5 13th - From just under 40-feet, Mickelson lags his eagle putt up close and then taps-in for birdie to get to -26. Snedeker follows suit with a good par save, but Mickelson pushes his lead back to 4.
Par 4 14th - Mickelson trying to work a power-fade, but over-does it a touch and finds the primary rough on the left. Snedeker then rips his straight down the left side of the fairway.
Par 4 14th - Mickelson's approach from the left rough is not hit quite as pure as he wants, and he comes up short, finding the green-side bunker on the let. Snedeker, then with 159 yards to the flagstick, never carried his far enough and it lands short and then creeps on the front portion of the green.
Par 4 14th - With the ball slightly below his feet, Mickelson's shot from the sand comes up about 8-10-feet short.
Par 4 14th - From just under 40-feet Snedeker gives his birdie putt a good roll, but it just runs out of speed and he settles for par.
Par 4 14th - Despite the sub-par effort out of the sand, Mickelson does not give up a shot as he calmly rolls the par putt in to maintain his 4-shot advantage over Snedeker.
Phil Mickelson has missed a few chances to extend his lead on the greens today. Seven holes to play and his lead over Snedeker is 3 strokes.by tylerlockman via twitter 2/3/2013 8:46:49 PM
Phil Mickelson better win this tournamentby Matt Adametz via twitter 2/3/2013 9:31:51 PM
