On Monday, Phil Mickelson wasn’t sure if he was even going to be able to play in the CareerBuilder Challenge. After Friday’s second round in the California desert, Mickelson is in position to win this thing.
Following up an opening 4-under 68 at La Quinta Country Club that left the five-time major winner giddy, Mickelson shot 6-under 66 on Friday at PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament course to get to a 10-under total through 36 holes. He trails leader Hudson Swafford by four shots enter the third and final round of the rotation around the tournament’s three host courses.
“It’s been a fun two days,” Mickelson said. “I hit a lot more good shots today than I did yesterday, but I’m still hitting some really bad ones. And that’s fine, it’s to be expected. I knew that was going to happen. But I’ve been able to kind of manage those and get away with some pars and make just a very few number of bogeys.”
Mickelson has showed his trademark touch with wedges in hand, making an eagle on the 11th hole, his second of the day, before making three consecutive birdies on his back nine.
Now Mickelson heads to the toughest course in the rotation, PGA West’s TPC Stadium Course, which will also host the final round for the top 70 and ties among the pros after 54 holes. With a good round on Saturday, Mickelson could be right back at Pete Dye’s West Coast version of TPC Sawgrass’s Stadium Course with a chance to pick up his first PGA Tour win since taking the Claret Jug in the 2013 British Open.
The weather forecast seems to favor the left-hander after two days of uncharacteristic wind and rain at a tournament known for conditions so pristine it has been dubbed “dome golf.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Mickelson said of playing TPC Stadium. “The weather is supposed to be perfect. That will be very helpful. Because that’s a penalizing golf course. You hit it off line there, it can be extremely penalizing. But there’s plenty of room off the tee and around the greens to get away with it, if you (hit it) slightly less than perfect.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
Devil Ball Golf – Golf – Yahoo Sports
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