Phil Mickelson defeated US PGA champion Justin Thomas on a playoff overnight to win the WGC Mexico Championship, securing his first tournament victory since the 2013 Open.
In parring the first extra hole 47-year-old Mickelson became the oldest player to win a World Golf Championship event.
Thomas had been 11 shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the $7.2million event, but carded a course record of 62 in the third round and a brilliant closing 64, with Mickelson shooting a final round of 66.
It's Lefty's 43rd title of his career, and with Augusta on the horizon, he's now ninth on the all-time PGA Tour winners table - 39 wins behind record holder Sam Snead.
Mickelson, who is up 16 places to 18th in the world, is convinced he'll reach 50 before the end of his career.
“Yeah, I’ll get there...seven more wins and I’ll be there, but I don’t have the month or the time, but I will get there.
5⃣0⃣ TOUR wins for Phil?
"Oh I will, yeah I'll get there." 💪 pic.twitter.com/3uVLn00s21
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 5, 2018
After ending that 1,687 days wait to lift a trophy, the five-time major winner feels his game is improving ahead of the Masters.
“I believe it's going to continue to get better each week.
“I don't think that this is the apex or the peak, I think I'm going to continue to get better, I think I'm working on the right things. I knew it was going to happen, but having validation means a lot.
"I don't know what to say," he told Golf Channel. "It has been a tough go the last four years. Not playing my best but to have the belief I was going to get there and finally break through and to do it feels incredible.
"All those nerves that you feel. I haven't felt that in a long time because I haven't been in the last group in a long time.
"So it has been really fun."
Paul Dunne shot a final round 71 to take a share of 55th place at seven-over par. The Greystones man had been targeting a top two finish to secure a place at the Masters.
