‘AMERICAN IDOL’ WINNER FINALLY HAS SURGERY FOR KIDNEY STONES

Phillip Phillips finally went under the knife to remove the enormous kidney stones that almost derailed his run to the "American Idol" title ... TMZ has learned.  We're told Phillip had the 6 and a half hour long surgery in L.A. yesterday -- and he is recovering well today. The stones that were removed were so huge there was no chance he could've passed them on his own.