Mickelson coughs up lead, title

This time, Phil Mickelson got a do-over after hitting a wayward tee shot at the 72nd hole.

The next one was even worse.

A faulty driver cost Lefty his first European Tour win, as France's Gregory Havret rallied to win the Scottish Open in Luss, Scotland, on the first playoff hole Sunday.

Not exactly the sort of finish Mickelson wanted heading to the British Open, which begins Thursday at Carnoustie, about a two-hour drive away.

He's still trying to erase the memory of that U.S. Open meltdown at Winged Foot 13 months ago, where a terrible drive on the 72nd hole led to a double-bogey -- and left him one stroke behind winner Geoff Ogilvy.

"I really struggled off the tee and the back nine was a fight for me," said Mickelson, who bogeyed three of his last five holes at Loch Lomond, including the 18th twice.

Havret qualified for his first major, clinching the win with an up-and-down from a greenside bunker. He sank a 6-footer for par in the playoff, then was doused with champagne by countryman Thomas Levet.

Now it's on to Carnoustie, where another Frenchman, Jean van de Velde, improbably squandered a three-stroke lead on the final hole of regulation at the 1999 British Open. He went on to lose to Paul Lawrie in a playoff.

Havret almost won his place in the Open last Sunday at The K Club, but he finished third in the European Open.

"I was disappointed but I knew I had another chance, especially on a course like this that I love so much," he said.

With a one-stroke lead going to the final hole of regulation, Mickelson drove into thick rough along the right side of the fairway. He needed a chip shot and two putts for bogey, while Havret got down in two from 15 feet to force the playoff, both players were at 14-under 270 as they headed back to the tee box at 18.

Mickelson's redo drive plopped into the shin-high reeds along the water on the left side of the fairway, forcing him to hit an awkward shot that skidded sideways back into the fairway. His third shot wound up on the fringe at the back of the green, leading to another bogey.

"I just tried to make a good swing and blocked it left," Mickelson said. "I hit a good shot out of the swamp, but I hit the third shot way too hard."

Mickelson, who shot a 2-under 69 in the final round, also bogeyed the 14th and 16th holes in regulation. He bounced back with birdies at the 15th and 17th.

Ernie Els (65) finished one shot back at 271.

Havret closed with a 68.

PGA Tour

Jonathan Byrd birdied three of the final five holes and shot a 5-under 66 Sunday to win the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill., and qualify for the British Open.

It was the third PGA Tour victory for Byrd, who finished the tournament at 18-under 266 -- one stroke ahead of Tim Clark (68). Third-round leader Nathan Green (71) finished in a tie for third with Troy Matteson (66) three strokes back.

Byrd, who won the 2002 Buick Challenge and the 2004 B.C. Open, moved into a tie with Green with a birdie on 17. Clark found a bunker on 17 and sent a 6-foot putt for par wide left for a bogey that put him at 17 under and in second place.

LPGA Tour

Morgan Pressel's hole-in-one sure got Se Ri Pak's attention.

Trailing briefly by three strokes after Pressel aced the sixth hole, Pak regained the lead with a birdie at the 15th hole and held on to tie an LPGA record with her fifth win at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Sylvania, Ohio.

Pak, who matched Mickey Wright's record set at the Sea Island Open, had previously won the Farr in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003.

Pak, 29, followed rounds of 63, 68 and 69 with a 67 to finish at 17-under 267. Pressel closed with a 69 and was three shots back at 270.

Champions Tour

R.W. Eaks, who never finished better than seventh in a PGA Tour event and was winless in 90 events over six seasons on the Champions Tour, shot a 6-under 66 on Sunday to win the inaugural Dick's Sporting Goods Open.

Eaks, a self-taught golfer from Colorado who has five runner-up finishes the past two years, completed the three rounds at En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, N.Y., at 17-under 199.

Tour rookie Bruce Vaughan (68) finished second, three shots behind.

-- The Associated Press