Phil Mickelson Makes His Own Brand of Masters Magic

The final nine holes at Augusta National Golf Club on Masters Sunday is a crucible where green jackets are won and lost, where history and disappointment come to life and where champions are put to the ultimate test of shot making and nerves.

Phil Mickelson survived that grueling challenge for the third time in his accomplished career. His final round 67 hoisted him into elite company with Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player and Nick Faldo, all three-time winners of this coveted championship.

It did not come easy for Mickelson, who birdied the 72nd hole with wife Amy and his three children watching nearby.

The drama and excitement that was anticipated reached its high point at the 12th and 13th holes. That's where Mickelson made the shots that would propel him to his fourth major championship.

After surviving wild tee shots and saving pars at the ninth, 10th and 11th holes, Mickelson drained a crucial birdie putt at 12 then hit what was one of the day's truly clutch shots, a long iron second from the trees and pine straw at 13 to four feet. He missed the eagle but his birdie put him at 14-under and he was storming towards victory.

He survived strong bids by runnerup Lee Westwood, the leader after 54 holes, K.J. Choi and Anthony Kim and yes, a fellow named Tiger Woods. Mickelson's no-bogey round put him at 16-under 272, three clear of Westwood.

Choi was incredibly steady and in it until bogeys at 13 and 14 derailed his hopes.

Kim's closing 65 was good enough to vault him into a solo third at 12-under just in front of Choi and Woods.

Woods, who garnered the lion's share of attention all week with his return to competitive golf, was either bad or brilliant over the final 18. His 69 left him disappointed and unsure of his next appearance.

"I finished fourth, not what I wanted," he said after an emotional week. "After Friday, it was not very good. I'll take a little time off and re-evaluate things."

Mickelson was on the opposite end of the spectrum as he walked off the 72nd green into the arms of wife Amy, who is in the midst of treatment for breast cancer. As they hugged, a tear rolled down Mickelson's cheek.

Later, after Angel Cabrera helped him into the green jacket, Mickelson was all smiles.

"It feels incredible. It's the most amazing feeling," he told CBS' Jim Nance in the Butler Cabin. "It's been an emotional year, a different year."

This year Masters was as well.

It was a spectacular, emotional, different course of events that began with Woods' return and ended with Mickelson's third title.

It had the roars, the groans, the incredible shots, the good breaks and the bad breaks.

It had perfect weather and a champion who put together a round without a bogey and that's an accomplishment by itself.

As he stood there, surrounded by Cabrera, Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, Nance and Italian amateur Mateo Manassero, Mickelson took in the moment, adjusted his jacket and simply declared:

"It fits, feels great!"