DORAL, Florida – Phil Mickelson chipped in for another birdie and wound up with a 6-under 66 to build a two-shot lead in the CA Championship on Friday, putting him in the last group at Doral Resort for the first time in three years.
The only difference this time will be the company he keeps.
Tiger Woods, his nemesis on the Blue Monster, was 10 shots behind.
“It kind of (stinks),” Mickelson said. “I hope he comes out tomorrow and plays a great round and makes a move. I would love to get him back from ’05. I came close in ’05 and got beat, and I would love the opportunity to play head-to-head.”
Mickelson was at 13-under 131 and will have to settle on Saturday for the company of Buick Invitational winner Nick Watney, who shot a 67.
Rory McIlroy, the 19-year-old from Northern Ireland who is trying to become the youngest US PGA Tour winner in history, finished with an eagle and a birdie on two dangerous holes for a 66 and was two shots behind. He was tied with 48-year-old Kenny Perry, who has three children older than McIlroy.
A dozen more players were within five shots of the lead, coming from all over the world.
Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand, who first struck a golf ball with a club he fashioned from a bamboo stick and bicycle tires, was atop the leaderboard until a triple bogey on the 18th hole. He shot 70 and was at 9-under 135 with Camilo Villegas of Colombia and Rod Pampling of Australia.
Another shot behind was a group that included big-hitters Alvaro Quiros of Spain (64) and Pebble Beach winner Dustin Johnson (66), along with Jeev Milka Singh of India (71) and Jim Furyk, who had his second straight 68. (AP)