Dan O'Neill

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. - There’s nothing vanilla about Phil Mickelson; he is Neapolitan all the way.

Not many on the PGA Tour play left-handed, particularly ones that are actually right-handed. Not many have taken up baseball pitching, particularly those in the their early 30s. Not many have carried a beeper in their bag during a major championship, particularly those in position to win the tournament.

And not many draw the huge galleries and crazy cheers that Mickelson draws, particularly those without the first name of Tiger.

No doubt, “Phil The Thrill” is not your ordinary Joe.

When Mickelson doesn’t win major championships, he often falls short in spectacular fashion. He often puts himself in position to win, even threatens to run away, only to have opportunity tragically slip from his grip.

When he wins, as he did on Monday at Baltusrol Golf Club, he does in equally unique fashion. Last year at the Masters, when it appeared he might let another chance get away, he reached out and grabbed it.

He rolled in a long birdie putt on 18. He won his first major the way legendary championships are won, with a birdie on the 72nd hole.

The PGA Championship at Baltusrol also fit this extraordinary profile. At one point Mickelson had the championship in his hip pocket, owned a three-shot pad after two rounds. But Mickelson tends to look that kind of prosperity straight in the eye … and sporadically blink.

By Sunday morning, Mickelson had only a share of the lead and before you could say “Jesper Parnevik” three times fast, he was wrestling with a two-shot deficit. Here comes that rainy day feeling again.

But as he did at Augusta in 2004, the Mick was quick to rebound. By the time some predicted thunderstorms had moved in, by the time thousands of final-round ticket holders were heading for cover and calling in sick for Monday, by the time the television-prostituted PGA of America was feeling the egg all over its face, the incorrigible Mickelson had resuscitated.

88th PGA Championship Tiger trounces field to win 12th major Tiger triumphs by 5 |   Sound off on Tiger Celizic: Best yet to come from brainy Tiger Opinion: Intimidating Tiger of old returns Wilbon: Tiger joins Ali, Jordan in elite club Opinion: Lost year for Lefty after Open gaffe Micheel pleased with second | Donald wilts Opinion: Low scores not a major problem Lehman adds Cink, Verplank to Ryder Cup Final scores | Champions | Hole-by-hole (pdf)

The PGA had not been to a Monday conclusion since 1986. The situation was highly unusual, which made it thoroughly Mickelson. As one would expect, he turned a finish that promised to be anti-climactic into award-winning daytime drama.

He came to No. 18, Baltusrol’s 5-par finale, knowing he needed par to keep a share of the lead and join a playoff, knowing a bogey would beat him, knowing a birdie would win the darn thing outright.

Slide show   87th PGA Championship Top images from this year's final major

Leave it to Phil to assume a position where any of the three were possible. His 3-wood attempt to get home in two carried into broccoli on the right side of the green. He would need a safe-cracker’s touch to get it close to the hole, the kind of touch he is noted for under more generic environs, the kind of touch that failed him on Sunday at the British Open last year.

Earlier, when he put his drive on No. 18 in the fairway near the marker honoring Jack Nicklaus’ famous birdie in 1967, Mickelson looked for extra help. “I touched the spot there on 18 just to get some good karma,” he said.

MORE FROM GOLF

Golf Section Front

Lefty, rivals might regret tugging Tiger's tail Tiger's aura strong, at least outside the ropes Woods faces tricky test at the Heath Tour cards at stake in PGA finale at Disney McIlroy joining the US PGA Tour next year Ballesteros receives honorary membership at R&A O'Hair, Villegas tied for Kiwi lead Ochoa's player-of-year status on the line Faldo receives knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II Latest golf videos   Golf Section Front   Add Golf headlines to your news reader: