Help with outside door handle install

Sons friend cranked the locked outside handle up so hard on right rear it broke the clips off the bottom. Bought new handle, had it painted to match, got the old one off, just can't seem to raise the new one enough to get bottom clips up and over the lip. Is there some trick to this? They don't seem that flexible to bend up with a flathead while doing it.

Thanks in advance.

Durp, got it, gasket binding/rolling over at top, slid business card behind it to hold it out until close, pulled card and gave it a pop.