Taking a cue from Woods, Mickelson surges to the fore
Just as Tiger Woods has done in so many majors, Phil Mickelson climbed into a share of the U.S. Open lead while most of his fellow contenders fell by the wayside. And while Woods is nowhere to be found, the focus is squarely on Mickelson.
MAMARONECK, N.Y. (AP) -- The yardage book Phil Mickelson keeps in his pocket is filled with copious notes from nearly a dozen practice rounds at Winged Foot that have prepared him for this U.S. Open.
The way he surged into a share of the lead Saturday, it looked like he borrowed a page from Tiger Woods, the man he's trying to catch in the record book.
One by one, the leaders collapsed in a series of miscues that sent them tumbling down the leader board. Mickelson marched along with his best golf of the tournament, hitting the last five fairways and giving himself a birdie putt on the last eight holes.
And when a torturous day at Winged Foot was in the books, Mickelson shot a 1-under 69 and was on the verge of joining Woods in a small chapter of golf history as the only players to win three straight majors on the schedule.
All that stands in the way is 18 holes and an unheralded Englishman, Kenneth Ferrie, whose three-putt bogey from the fringe on the 18th hole gave him a 71 and dropped him into a tie with Mickelson at 2-over 212, the seventh time in the last 11 rounds at a major that Lefty was atop the leader board.
After his round, Mickelson sat next to the U.S. Open trophy in a television interview. It was close enough to touch, but he kept his hands to himself.
"I've got one round to go, 18 holes, and there's a lot of guys right there, a lot of good players that are making pars and fighting, just like I'm trying to do," Mickelson said. "I'm not thinking about those past tournaments. I'm trying to just play one more good round."
It was the first time the 54-hole lead was over par at the U.S. Open since 1974, known as the "Massacre of Winged Foot," when Tom Watson led at 3-over 213 and Hale Irwin wound up winning at 7-over 287. That was the year Winged Foot got its reputation as one wicked test of golf, and it sure lived up its reputation on this steamy Saturday.
"One time a year, we get tested like this. And I love it," Mickelson said. "I love being tested at the highest level of the most difficult and sometimes ridiculous golf course setups we'll ever see. I love it because I get to find out where my game is at, where my head is at, and it really challenges me as a player."
Heading into the final round, the focus is squarely on Mickelson.
"Somebody told me today on the course I was 'the man,"' Ferrie said. "I guess Phil is a bigger man."
New Yorkers fell in love with Lefty at Bethpage Black when he was a sympathetic figure in a losing battle with Tiger Woods at the 2002 U.S. Open. He broke their hearts two years later at Shinnecock Hills, tied for the lead until a double-bogey on the 71st hole. And he won them over for keeps with his stirring victory in the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusrol in suburban New Jersey.
"He's got the opportunity of doing what Tiger did, winning three majors in a row," Montgomerie said. "That's a big feat."
Mickelson climbed into the lead the way Woods has done so many times, and he credits his play to having studied Winged Foot as if he were cramming for a major exam.
"I have notes on every shot, from drive to iron to putt to chip," Mickelson said. "Knowing where I can and can't go and how the slopes can help me or hurt me, that's allowed me to hang in there and make par, par, par and occasionally birdie."
It has put him atop the leader board with one round to go, and Woods is nowhere to be found -- except in the record books.
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