PEBBLE BEACH, California - Masters champion Phil Mickelson grabbed an early one-shot lead in the third round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament on Saturday.
The American left-hander fired a two-under-par 70 in cool, blustery conditions at Spyglass Hill Golf Club, one of three venues being
used for the PGA Tour event.
Bidding for his first title of the year after an erratic start to the 2007 PGA Tour, Mickelson mixed four birdies with two bogeys to finish on 14-under 202.
Tour rookie John Mallinger, with four holes to play at Poppy Hills Golf Club, was tied for second with fellow American Kevin Sutherland, who had completed 11 holes at Poppy Hills.
World number two Jim Furyk, co-leader overnight with Mickelson, was a further three strokes back in fourth after 12 holes at the hosting Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Mickelson, champion here in 1998 and 2005, took advantage of relatively calm morning conditions to claim the outright lead with a birdie at the par-five 11th, his second hole of the day.
He picked up another shot at the par-four 17th before reaching the turn at 14 under, two ahead of the chasing pack.
Although he bogeyed the par-four fourth after missing the fairway off the tee, he recovered with further birdies at the sixth, where he struck his approach to within five feet of the flag, and seventh.
As the strengthening wind began to buffet the picturesque Monterey Peninsula, Mickelson also dropped at the par-four eighth before signing off with a regulation par at the ninth.
The 27-year-old Californian Mallinger, one of three leaders after the opening round, earned his 2007 Tour card by tying for 13th at last year's qualifying school.
He was four under for the day after reeling off birdies on his first two holes.
The third-round cut was projected at one-under 215 with former major winners John Daly, Justin Leonard and Steve Jones and world number eight Luke Donald likely to miss out.
- REUTERS
