The place was jumping, teeming with excitement. Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) was walking to the green from the 18th fairway with a chance to birdie the hole for the Masters title, and his fans were going ballistic.

Hugh Johnson and his sons, 15-year-old Bradley and 11-year-old Michael, were ready to see Mickelson finally grab a Masters win. But it was a day filled with highs and lows, birdies and bogeys and eagles.

The crowd witnessed Mickelson bogey three of four holes on the front nine. They saw him shoot 5-under-par 31 on the back. They waited, they watched to see if Mickelson could fulfill his dream.

And when his 20-foot birdie putt rolled into the 18th hole, Bradley jumped from his chair with his arms in the air.

But it took a while to get to that point. Here's a brief diary of the typical Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) fan on the greatest day of his career:

Five minutes before Mickelson tees off: Tim Keys, from Acworth, Ga., waits in a throng of Mickelson fans to watch him walk the 40-foot path from the putting green to the tee box on No. 1.

He yells as Mickelson passes by with a grin on his face. Keys' voice fades in among the rest of Mickelson's well-wishers, who are loud and vocal.

"I want him to win a major so bad," said Keys, who followed Mickelson in 2001 when he lost the PGA Championship to David Toms (Stats | Bio) by a stroke. "He's come so close. This place will go bonkers. There won't be a dry eye in the place. I know I'll be crying."

Confidence is high.

One minute after Mickelson misses a birdie putt on No. 8: Mickelson has fallen a stroke behind Ernie Els (Stats | Bio) , and B.J. and Ruth Vinson are hurrying down the ninth fairway to catch the action.

"He has a lot of charisma," said Ruth, who lives in Grovetown with her husband. "He's a comebacker."

Confidence is still high, but it's beginning to slip a little.

Twenty seconds after Els' eagle at No. 13 pops onto the Amen Corner scoreboard, leaving Mickelson down by three strokes: Washington resident Paul Tewes, in the first row of seats behind the press bleachers, is trying to sound positive.

He's failing.

"Phil can do it," Tewes says half-heartedly as his buddy, Jim Januschka of Minneapolis, nods. "He'll do it, you watch."

Confidence ... well, the confidence is not so good.

Fifteen seconds after Mickelson's birdie on No. 12 falls, getting him to within two strokes: Tewes has developed a bit of cockiness.

"Phil will win," Tewes said. "And you better write it down that I said that confidently."

Five minutes after Mickelson's win is complete: The Johnson family is still excited. As the newly crowned Masters champion signs his scorecard about 50 feet - and thousands of people - away, Hugh Johnson is describing how he knew Mickelson's final putt would fall.

"I've been watching that putt all day, and everybody was leaving it left," said Johnson, from Birmingham, Ala. "When he got the read from (Chris) DiMarco, I thought he'd make it."

Confidence is through the roof.

Five minutes after Mickelson receives the green jacket in the ceremony on the putting green: Amy Mickelson, Phil's wife and biggest fan, is trying not to cry.

She's failing.

"I'm so overwhelmed," Amy said as tears left trails in her makeup. "The people here have been unbelievable. They've been through his highs and lows. He's had their support for years."

Now they share in his triumph.

Reach Josh Katzowitz at (706) 823-3216 or josh.katzowitz@augustachronicle.com.