Deja vu all over again

Oh, it must be that time of the year.

Tiger Woods found a way to win on a Sunday, while Phil Mickelson found way to do precisely the opposite just three groups ahead.

By capturing the Bay Hill Invitational for the third straight year, the 26-year-old Woods became the first player in the PGA Tour history to win three different events for three consecutive seasons. He has accomplished that feat at the Memorial and at the WGC-NEC Invitational. The Bay Hill win was 30th in Woods' career, making him the youngest to reach that plateau. At a point in his career when the only direction he can move is down, Tiger simply keeps it going at such a high level. So who's in a slump now?

By losing the Bay Hill Invitational for the second straight year to Woods, Mickelson has done further damage to his reputation as a reckless gambler on the course (he is one off the course, but let's not go there) and perhaps a perpetual second fiddle to one Eldrick T. Woods.

Mickelson, he of 20 career wins, is ranked No. 2 in the world but is more famous for what he hasn't done that what he has. The talented lefty lacks a major title, and if he is to take risks the way he did last Sunday, no major championship is in sight for Mickelson.

After an excellent front nine that gave him one stroke lead over third-round leader Woods, Mickelson stumbled a bit on the back nine. After a bogey on the 14th, he missed the fairway to the right on the par-5 16th. Despite the huge water hazard in front of the firm, elevated green and a few trees between him and the water, Mickelson decided to go for it. He had 198 yards to the pin and 180 yards to clear the water and the ill-advised 4-iron shot skipped twice and sunk deep into the pond, along with Mickelson's chance to grab the tournament. He went on to bogey the last two holes just for good measure. After leading by one with five holes to play, Mickelson ended up five shots behind Woods

Woods, in his typically methodical approach, kept plugging along by hitting fairways and greens and sinking par putts. Of 20 players within five shots of the lead going into the final round, Woods was the only golfer without a bogey on the back nine. That's the way to win a tournament, folks.

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