Masters champion Phil Mickelson survived three late bogeys and an errant putter to take a one-shot lead over Padraig Harrington in the Nissan Open third round Saturday.
Bidding for his second successive title on the PGA Tour, Mickelson recovered with a birdie at the par-five 17th before completing a two-under-par 69 at a sweltering Riviera Country Club.
That left the American left-hander on 13-under 200, with playing partner Harrington alone in second place after carding a two-birdie 70.
American Rich Beem, boosted by a hole-in-one at the par-three 14th that earned him a new car, fired a best-of-the-day 65 to lie third at 11 under.
”It could have been a chance for Padraig and I to pull away a little bit at the end but those three bogeys let 10 to 15 guys back in the tournament,” Mickelson told reporters. ”It will be a shoot-out tomorrow [Sunday].
”I let it slide a little bit on the back nine, more through short-game errors. But I was tied for the lead yesterday and I got a one-shot lead today, so it’s getting better. It wasn’t the day I wanted but it’s getting better.”
Co-leader overnight with Irishman Harrington, Mickelson got off to a fast start, tapping in from three feet to birdie the par-five first and picking up another shot at the par-four second after hitting his approach to five feet.
After narrowly missing another birdie attempt from 12 feet at the third, he parred the next six holes to reach the turn two ahead of the chasing pack.
Consecutive bogeys
Mickelson, who won last week’s Pebble Beach National Pro-Am by five shots, forged three ahead with further birdies on 10 and 11 before surprisingly making consecutive bogeys from the 12th, missing par putts from three and six feet.
He faltered again at the par-three 16th, missing the green to the left off the tee and failing to get up and down from behind a tree.
Harrington had a chance to take the outright lead from Mickelson on the same hole but missed a birdie attempt from eight feet.
The Irishman, who set the first-round pace with a blistering 63, wasted another birdie opportunity on 17 from just five feet and stayed in second place after parring the last.
”I hit a nice putt there [on 17] but it was an awkward one,” Harrington said. ”The hole was a little flatter and the putt just stayed on the high side.
”I’m still well in there with a good chance but the goal on Saturday, if you are leading, is to extend your lead. Unfortunately we didn’t do that today.”
With hardly a breath of wind on the third day, several players took advantage of the conditions.
Australia’s Robert Allenby, the 2001 champion, fired a 68 to lie three shots off the pace in a tie for fourth with American Charles Howell III (69).
World number two Jim Furyk and 1999 winner Ernie Els returned matching 67s to share sixth place at seven under with Spaniard Sergio Garcia (69), one ahead of South Korea’s KJ Choi (66) and US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy (67). – Reuters