Mickelson fends off Els for second HSBC Champions title

By Nick Mulvenney

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - World number two Phil Mickelson held off a charging Ernie Els to win the WGC-HSBC Champions by one shot on Sunday, his second success in three years at the $7 million tournament.

The American shot a three-under-par 69 on a dramatic day of golf to finish on 17-under for the tournament and pick up his second World Golf Championship (WGC) title and a cheque for $1.2 million.

The final round had been billed as a shootout between the top two in the world but after number one Woods faltered on the front nine, it was Els who threatened to stop Mickelson reclaiming the title he won in 2007.

South African Els was one of three players to beat the old course record with a round of 63 on Sunday but he found the water at the 18th and had to settle for second place on 16-under.

American Ryan Moore carded a 68 for third a further shot back, while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy was another who shot a 63 to take fourth on 14-under, one better than American Nick Watney (71) in fifth.

Woods, who finished with a par 72 for a share of sixth, had a front nine to forget, finding a canal for a double bogey at the third then falling apart completely after he drove into a bunker off the seventh tee.

Clearly upset, his first sand wedge moved him just five feet onto a grassy ridge and his subsequent chip went almost straight up in the air before landing in a greenside bunker.

The 14-times major champion did well to make bogey but Mickelson, who had lipped out a two-foot putt to also bogey the third, grabbed a second birdie of the day and moved into a six-shot lead over the world number one.