KEY POINTS:
Phil Mickelson eagled the par-five 17th on his way to a share of the lead with Ireland's Padraig Harrington after the second round of the Nissan Open yesterday.
Left-hander Mickelson rolled in a 15-foot putt to join Harrington atop the leaderboard before completing a six-under-par 65 on a sun-baked day at Riviera Country Club.
Irishman Harrington, three shots clear overnight, made an erratic start but recovered to shoot a 68 for an 11-under total of 131.
American Charles Howell, who lost a playoff here in 2003, was another three strokes back in third after carding a bogey-free 65 in calmer conditions of the morning.
Mickelson, tied for second at the start of the day, maintained his hot form with a commanding display as the winds strengthened in the afternoon.
He birdied the first and sixth to reach the turn in two-under 33 and picked up further shots at the 11th, 13th and 14th to get to 10-under overall. Although he ran up his first bogey of the tournament at the par-three 16th, where he found the right bunker off the tee, he hit back in style by reaching the 17th green in two and coolly sinking the eagle putt.
Harrington, who spreadeagled the field with a superb opening 63, produced a rollercoaster outward nine, featuring three bogeys and four birdies on a course running fast and firm.
He steadied his game after the turn, picking up further shots at the first and sixth, where he coaxed in a 15-footer, to finish level with Mickelson.
New Zealand golfer David Smail remained in contention after the third round of the Jacob's Creek Open in Adelaide yesterday.
Smail carded an even par 72 in the US$600,000 (NZ$876,680) Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned event to share 19th place on six-under 210.
He was five strokes behind the joint leaders, American Scott Sterling and Australians David Lutterus and Peter Senior.
Smail produced a mixed round highlighted by an eagle two on the 373m par-four sixth hole. He also had five bogeys and three birdies as he looked to build towards the New Zealand PGA Championship starting in Christchurch on Thursday.
Another New Zealander, Michael Long, was tied for 32nd on 212 after shooting 70 yesterday.
Michael Campbell has been drawn against Briton Justin Rose in the first round of this week's Matchplay Championship in Tucson, Arizona. The 2005 US Open champion has been seeded 29th for this event, while Rose is 35th.
World No 1 Tiger Woods, who won in 2003 and 2004, will open against fellow American golfer Brett Quigley.
Woods will be bidding for his eighth consecutive victory on the PGA Tour in the 64-player event.
Masters champion Phil Mickelson, world No 2 Jim Furyk and third-ranked Adam Scott, of Australia, are the top seeds in the other three groups.
- AGENCIES
