GOLF

MICKELSON COASTS TO FBR OPEN VICTORY

Phil Mickelson finished a triumphant week in Scottsdale, Ariz., winning the FBR Open by five strokes for his largest margin of victory in a PGA Tour event.

Mickelson struggled with his driver in a final round 3-under 68, but no one mounted a serious challenge yesterday. He never led by fewer than three strokes over the final 18 holes.

Mickelson survived shots deep into the desert and into the water, then capped his round with a 26-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the 18th to the wild cheers of the friendly throng.

With chants of “A-S-U” and “Go Lefty!” from the crowd everywhere he went, Mickelson finished at 17-under 267 on the 7,216-yard Tournament Players Club course. Scott McCarron and Kevin Na, at 21 the youngest player on the PGA tour, tied for second at 272. Mc-Carron shot his second consecutive 65 on Saturday. Na played in the final group with Mickelson and faltered before rallying with birdies on the 14th and 17th for his best finish in his two years on the tour.

A three-time NCAA champion at Arizona State who lived in Scottsdale until December 2001, Mickelson won the FBR – formerly the Phoenix Open – for the second time. He was just 25 when he won in a playoff with another tour youngster, Justin Leonard, in 1996.

After a 2-over 73 in the first round, Mickelson was minus-19 in the last 54, including an 11-under 60 in the second round on Friday, tying the course record with his lowest score in an official PGA event.

FOOTBALL

NINERS HIRE GIANTS’ DAVIS AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Billy Davis was hired to be the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator yesterday, leaving the Giants after one season as their linebackers coach.

Davis, 39, spent the previous three seasons as the linebackers coach for the Atlanta Falcons, where he worked for Dan Reeves. New 49ers head coach Mike Nolan is Reeves’s protege, and the Falcons played a 3-4 scheme similar to the one Nolan is expected to install in San Francisco. Davis will work closely with Nolan, who built the Baltimore Ravens’ dominant defenses of the past three seasons as their defensive coordinator. Davis also has coached with Pittsburgh, Carolina, Cleveland, and Green Bay since joining the NFL in 1992. He was a quarterback and receiver at the University of Cincinnati from 1985-88.

Nolan has only a few vacancies left on his first coaching staff after hiring assistant head coach Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy last month. The 49ers, who have the top pick in the upcoming draft, also hired vice president of player personnel Scot McCloughan last week.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

ILLINOIS 60, INDIANA 47

Deron Williams had assists on Illinois’s first seven baskets and finished with 11 as the top-ranked Illini remained unbeaten with a 60-47 victory over Indiana on yesterday. It was the lowest-scoring game of the season for Illinois (23-0, 9-0 Big Ten), which held Indiana (10-10, 5-4) to its second-lowest output of the season. James Augustine scored 16 points and Luther Head had 13 for the Illini, who should remain the unanimous no. 1 in the Associated Press college basketball poll for a second straight week. Dee Brown added 12 points and Roger Powell Jr. had 10. Illinois and no. 5

In other NCAA action yesterday, second-ranked North Carolina (19-2, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) earned a 81-60 victory over Florida State (11-11, 3-6).

TENNIS

SHARAPOVA DEFEATS DAVENPORT IN PAN PACIFIC FINAL

Reigning Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova beat no. 1 Lindsay Davenport 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5) in the Pan Pacific Open final yesterday and will move up to a career-high third in the WTA Tour rankings. Sharapova prevented Davenport from winning a record fifth title at the indoor tournament. Davenport, who lost to Serena Williams in the Australian Open final last weekend, hit 13 aces against Sharapova but needed a medical timeout after the first set because of a sore left thigh. She will move past Amelie Mauresmo in Monday’s new rankings and jump to no. 3 from no. 4, trailing only Davenport and Williams.