Woods, Mickelson hope to make final-round charge

Phil Mickelson desperately wants to win the third leg of his career Grand Slam. Tiger Woods needs to mount a comeback like we've never seen before to win at Bethpage Black for the second time. Could either one come out on top?

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- The chant was accompanied by staccato applause.

"Let's go, Mick-el-son." Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap. "Let's go, Mick-el-son."

And Phil Mickelson responded, making two birdies in his last three holes -- breathing life into the rain-plagued 109th U.S. Open in the process.

There was electricity everywhere Mickelson walked on the soggy Black Course at Bethpage Black on Sunday afternoon. His fans clearly believed, and when Mickelson rolled in that 25-footer at the 18th hole, pumped his fist twice and said a quiet "Yes," to himself, it was clear that he did, too.

Yes, Mickelson will start the final round a distant six strokes off the lead. It's a large deficit, to be sure. Still, there are just four people between the world's No. 2 player and the third leg of the career Grand Slam -- and that's what has the people's choice so stoked.

"The crowds here are incredible," Mickelson said. "And I made a bunch of birdies to get myself into position heading into the final round. ... If there were 30 people ahead of me I would have to shoot 8, 9  or 10 under par to have a chance; and there are (four).

"If I get a hot round going, I can get a little bit of momentum, absolutely I feel like I can make up the difference."

Tiger Woods, on the other hand, has an even greater deficit to overcome. He's nine strokes back and the game's No. 1 player has never come from more than five behind after 54 holes to win on the PGA TOUR. He's held the third-round lead in each one of his 14 major championships, too.

"It's one of those where you have to play a great round of golf and get some help," Woods said. "Obviously, it's not totally in my control. Only thing I can control is whether I can play a good one or not."

A Woods victory would be record-setting, of course. Isn't it every time he wins? But not just in his assault on Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors or in his bid to become only the third player in 70 years to win consecutive U.S. Opens and the first to successfully defend all four majors.

Woods could also excute the biggest ever U.S. Open comeback, eclipsing the seven strokes Arnold Palmer made up with a 65 at Cherry Hills in 1965. Woods knows a low number could be out there -- he was one of eight players to break 70 Sunday -- but his flat stick has been decidedly uncooperative on the wet greens.

"I have hit the ball well enough to do it, but just haven't made the putts," Woods said. "Today I was within 15 feet a lot, but just did not have the putts go in.

"I've been lipping out, burning the edges and just haven't got it right yet."

Woods also found himself playing catch-up nearly from the get-go. He made a double bogey and two bogeys over his last four holes to shot 74 in the rain-delayed first round that took nearly 48 hours to complete.

"I finished off the first day, obviously, very poorly," Woods said. "Given the conditions and the way we were playing, if I would just clean that round up and finish at even par, it would have been a pretty darned good score. ...

"But that finish put me so far back, I had to try and make up shots the entire time, and as of right now, I've only made up three."

Unlike Woods, Mickelson played in the sunny half of the draw. Playing just a month after his wife, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer, he's been on the fringes of contention all week but really seemed to gain momentum with the way he finished off the third round.

"It was a big psychological birdie for me because after I birdied 16; I felt if I could birdie 17 or 18, shoot under par, I reached my goal of shooting anything under par to give myself a chance for Sunday," Mickelson said. "And after so many up and downs, to have that kind of boost of accomplishing that little mini goal was big."
   
Mickelson made seven birdies in the third round, so the three-time major champion knows he can go low if he can just eliminate mistakes like that double-bogey at the sixth hole. He also knows he has the experience and the confidence needed to persevere.

Only one of the four players ahead of the big lefthander has ever won a major, and David Duval, ranked No. 882 in the world, is on the comeback trail. And Ricky Barnes, the PGA TOUR rookie who owns the lead at 9 under, last tasted victory at the 2003 U.S. Amateur.

"Having won a couple of majors, I feel confident and I'm able to be patient much easier in a challenging event like this," Mickelson said. "I'm not forcing it and I'm able to shoot a round today where I didn't play flawless. ...

"But again, anything can happen in the U.S. Open.  There are a lot of birdies on this golf course and there are a lot of bogeys and doubles, as well.  If myself or some other guys at even, 1 or 2 under can get a hot hand, the emotion of the event, the momentum can change."