Mickelson's attack worked at East Lake

ATLANTA-- Jack Nicklaus won most of his 18 major championships by waiting for others to make mistakes.

Phil Mickelson doesn't buy that strategy.

Not with Tiger Woods around.

The world's second-best player doesn't have any majors to prove that his aggressive style is the only way to conquer Woods, but it certainly worked the last time the Tour Championship was held at East Lake Golf Club.

Two years ago, Mickelson trailed Woods and Vijay Singh by one stroke going into the final round when he closed with a 4-under 66 to win, becoming the first player in four years to win a tournament when Woods had at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

"Playing in the group in front of him gave me a bit of opportunity to get off to a quicker start and to push them to make birdies," Mickelson said Tuesday. "I shot 4 under the front nine. That forced them to make birdies to keep pace, and that allowed me to come out on top."

Woods is 28-2 on the PGA Tour when he's leading after three rounds. The only other player to have beaten him is Ed Fiori in the 1996 Quad City Classic, Woods' third tournament as a professional.

The only other players to come from behind are Lee Westwood (2000 Deutsche Bank) and Thomas Bjorn (2001 Dubai) on the European tour.

"To beat him when he's in the lead is something very difficult to do," Mickelson said Tuesday after his pro-am round at East Lake. "He doesn't make mistakes when he's in contention on Sunday."

Woods made plenty two years ago in the Tour Championship.

He failed to match Mickelson's birdie on the par-5 15th to fall behind, then took a bogey on the 17th hole by hitting from the bunker to shin-high grass left of the green.

"I was forced to be aggressive on the last couple of holes," Woods said. "Yeah, I made a couple of mistakes, missed a few putts."