Tuesday 7 April 2015 04:53, UK
We build up to golf's first major of the year by counting down 10 Augusta greats. Today, it's Phil Mickelson.
It took Phil Mickelson just six years to transform himself from Masters also-ran to a genuine Augusta great as he joined a select group of players to own three Green Jackets.
The popular left-hander was, for too long, saddled with the "best player never to have won a major" tag until his spectacular breakthrough win in 2004 after a riveting back-nine battle with Ernie Els.
The South African looked to have ensured at least a play-off with a closing 67, but Mickelson put a scrappy first 11 holes behind him to birdie 12, 13, 14 and 16 before coaxing in a 15-foot birdie putt on the final green.
His star-jump celebration left an indelible image on the tournament, which he has gone on to win twice more in some style.
Mickelson's two-driver experiment paid off handsomely in 2006 as he defied bad weather and the extra 300 yards added to the layout to clinch a two-shot victory.
He started the final round trailing Lee Westwood by one in 2010, but his sublime, closing 67 saw him home by three, although he failed to break 70 the following year and finished 13 shots behind Charl Schwartzel.
Mickelson was in contention again in 2012 until a disastrous triple-bogey at the fourth effectively ended his chances, and he has been a non-factor in the last two editions, but who would bet against him atoning for that in 2015?
