Cromwell, Conn. ? Phil Mickelson had good reason to feel comfortable standing over a 108-yard sand wedge shot on the 18th hole late Sunday afternoon in the Greater Hartford Open.

The left-hander simply thought back to the seventh hole, where three hours earlier he drew screams of “Tiger who?” by holing out for eagle from the same distance.

“Same shot as I had on No. 7,” Mickelson said after following a 342-yard drive with the sand wedge approach to 5 feet to set up his winning birdie. “I had to take about 10 yards off with the sand wedge because it was a little downwind.”

He became the first player to successfully defend his title in the 51-year history of the event, shooting a 6-under 64 for a 14-under 266 total and a one-stroke victory over Davis Love III and Jonathan Kaye.

“To be the first one to win it twice is something very special, but there’s nothing greater than the feeling walking up 18 and feeling the support from the fans,” Mickelson said of 50,000 fans ringing the amphitheater hole on the TPC at River Highlands.

He overcame a five-stroke deficit in the final round, matching the largest comeback of the year on the PGA Tour after a sloppy Saturday finish that saw him drop three strokes on the final three holes for a 66.

“I fully expected to be in a playoff,” said Mickelson, who earned $720,000 for his 21st tour title.

Kaye pushed a 13-foot birdie try to the right on the par-4 18th hole. Love missed a 25-footer on the final hole.