Haas out duels Mickelson and Bradley in playoff

Extra holes were needed to determine the 2012 edition of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera on Sunday. A fitting dramatic end to an event played just miles from the 'tinsel town' of Hollywood.

2011 FedEx Cup champion Bill Haas rolled in a near 50-foot putt on the second hole of the three man playoff, to claim his fourth PGA Tour win, and second in a playoff.

With Haas finishing before the final pairing of Mickelson and Bradley, both players knew they needed birdies on the 18th to force a playoff, giving them any hope of winning the event.

The par-four, 18th had yielded only six birdies during the final round of play. Haas, however was on the practice range keeping loose and warm if both players could possibly make threes on the closing hole.

Mickelson jarred his 25-foot putt to send the gallery into a frenzy for the fan favorite heading into the week. With a meaningful fist pump to the cheering gallery, Lefty was in the playoff.

Bradley knew this was now or never to join his idol in the playoff with Haas. Needing to knock home his 12 footer for a three and a shot at the Northern Trust Open title.

With seemingly its last rotation, Bradley's 12-foot put lazily dropped into the cup, sending the gallery into another roar as the three would head to extra holes.

None of the three players were able to card a birdie on the 18th, the first hole of the playoff.

The trio would head to the 10th hole to continue their quest for victory.

The 312 par-four 10th, perhaps the best short par-four in all of golf, on the score card is seemingly an easy enough hole. However, it is one of the more unique and challenging holes as well in the game today.

Mickelson and Bradley's tee shots both were short of the green as Haas was in the thick; and much talked about, rough at Riviera.

Lety's flop shot hit the green near the cup, though rolled back into the bunker. All but killing any hope he would win in back-to-back weeks.

Bradley's bunker shot was a blast past the hole that went through the green.

Haas, had a chance to end the event right here if he could jar his 45-foot birdie putt.

He did just that.

"I was thinking four could continue." Haas said of his thoughts over the putt on the second playoff hole.

"If one of these guys makes their putt, if Phil holes out of the bunker or Keegan makes it from off the green, they earned it. They deserve it."

"Four for me was the goal in the sense that I didn't want to make 5, I guess. I didn't want to run it six feet or ten feet by, and that was a tricky little pin. It's kind of on a knob."

“I didn’t think he was going to make that one,” Bradley said after the playoff was complete. “I should have known, though, because he’s a great putter and a great player.”

Mickelson failed at his bid to win for the second week in a row, becoming the first player to do so since Tiger Woods in 2009.

"Well, Bill hit a tremendous putt." Mickelson said. "We're thinking it's a very difficult 3, it's a defensive hole. You're just trying to make 4 believe it or not."

" It's only 290 yards, 280 yards, but you're trying to make par. He ended up making a 50‑, 60‑footer and that's going to do it."