( CNN ) -- Every day Phil Mickelson was on the verge of making PGA Tour history . Every day he fell just a little bit short . But it mattered not , as the veteran American led from start to finish to become only the fourth player to win the Phoenix Open three times . It did n't matter that his putt for a magical 59 lipped out in Thursday 's opening round . It did n't matter that he missed the U.S. circuit 's 36-hole scoring record after a double-bogey on Friday . And making the second best 54-hole total on Saturday was not a problem either -- it put him six shots clear going into the home straight . A final-round 67 was his worst of the tournament and left him on 28-under-par 256 overall , the joint second-best 72-hole total in PGA Tour history -- matching the mark set by fellow three-time winner Mark Calcavecchia at the same tournament in 2001 . The 42-year-old came off the course at TPC Scottsdale beaming , having earned his 41st PGA Tour title ahead of next week 's defense of his crown at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am -- the scene of his 40th win . `` I played really good golf , '' Mickelson said after claiming the $ 1 million first prize and moving into ninth place on the PGA Tour 's all-time win list . `` This is how I 've been playing for a while and it feels really good to get that golf out of me when I 'm at a big tournament . '' Mickelson , who also credited his new driver for his upswing in fortunes , is targeting a fourth Masters victory in April . `` It 's important to start building momentum but it 's more important what you do closer to Augusta , '' Mickelson said . `` You have got to deal with some of the greatest pressure you will ever deal with at Augusta . '' Mickelson has now won a PGA Tour title in each of the past 10 years , the most of any active player . He has won a tournament in 20 different years , including in 1991 as an amateur -- putting him behind only Sam Snead ( 24 years of wins ) and Jack Nicklaus ( 21 ) . His closest challenger at Scottsdale , Brandt Snedeker , got within three shots but a dropped shot at the last extended Mickelson 's winning margin . `` To be in the last group with Phil and kind of trade birdie for birdie and make up some ground was a lot of fun , '' said Snedeker , who was also second behind Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines last weekend . `` It 's what we play for . I wish I could have put some more pressure on him and got a little closer than I did today , but I think I shot 12 under par on the weekend and made one bogey . `` Sometimes you have to tip your hat and say Phil played unbelievable and deserved to win , and that 's kind of what this week was all about . '' Scott Piercy closed with 61 to be third on 23 under , one shot ahead of fellow American Ryan Moore ( 65 ) , while Ryan Palmer carded 62 for fifth on 19 under . Meanwhile , Scottish golfer Stephen Gallacher ended an eight-year wait for a second European Tour victory when he triumphed at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday . The 38-year-old 's three-shot victory from South African Richard Sterne came 210 starts since he won his first at the Dunhill Links Championship , and put him inside the world 's top 60 rankings . `` It 's taken a long time but it 's sweeter now . I 'm maturing with age hopefully ! '' said Gallacher , who fired a crucial eagle at the 16th hole -- his fifth of the week -- to move clear .
Phil Mickelson wins for the first time in a year at the Phoenix Open in Arizona . Veteran American beats Brandt Snedeker by four shots at TPC Scottsdale . He leads from start to finish after four rounds of flirting with PGA Tour history . - Tiger Woods wins his third consecutive U.S. Open, and fourth overall, on Sunday at The Players Championship at Sawgrass Stadium in Ponte Vedra Beach,