Mickelson’s Major Challenge Leader After Elusive Distinction With Heavyweights On Heels
At the tender age of 26, Phil Mickelson has everything except a major championship. Justin Leonard, just 24, is packed with potential. But the road to this PGA Championship could still go through veteran names like Norman, Watson and Price.
Playing barely after the morning sun had burned the fog from the hills of Valhalla Golf Club, Mickelson finished his rain-delayed first round then shot a 67 to get 10-under-par 134 for 36 holes, three strokes ahead of Leonard.
But a staggering 11 players who had won a total of 21 major championships were within eight strokes of the lead.
“Jack Nicklaus knew players are judged by how many majors they win,” said Mickelson, who has already won eight times, but never a major. “A player has only so many years.”
And after contending a bunch of times - finishing third in the Masters this year, third in the PGA in 1994, fourth in last year’s U.S. Open and sixth in the ‘93 PGA Mickelson still has to show he has what it takes to win the big ones.
He and Leonard, who won his first tournament last week in the Buick Open and tied the Valhalla record with a 66 on Friday, will be paired together in today’s third round.
But they likely will be keeping one eye on a leaderboard packed with players who have already proven they can win the big ones.
Kenny Perry, Vijay Singh and Mark Brooks were at 138. Then came former U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen and two-time PGA champion and former British Open winner Nick Price at 139.
Three winners of major championships - Greg Norman, Tom Watson and Ian Woosnam - were among a group at 140, six strokes back. Larry Mize, Steve Elkington and Wayne Grady - all major winners - were at 141 and more champs - Fred Couples, Ernie Els and Tom Lehman - were at 142.
Anyone in that bunch can position themselves perfectly with a low score in the third round.
“We still have a lot of golf to play,” Leonard said, seemingly aware that this was anything but a head-to-head duel with Mickelson, the man who beat him earlier this year in a playoff in the Phoenix Open.
“As far as facing Phil again - I’d like to,” Leonard said. “The only way you get better is to go out and play the best and he’s one of the best.”
Playing on little sleep and with a lot of confidence, Mickelson looked like one of the best on Friday. He played the first 18 holes of his 24-hole day even par, then birdied four of the last six holes for his second consecutive 67.
Several players made a late run at Mickelson but faltered. Price got to 8 under through 12 holes, then made a double bogey on No. 13 when he hit his approach into the water and bogeyed the next hole.
John Cook was 6 under through 12, then made a triple bogey on No. 13 and a double bogey on No. 15 and finished at even par.
Several significant names missed the cut, including Colin Montgomerie, Davis Love III and U.S. Open champion Steve Jones.
But on a day when the stifling heat and humidity was replaced by swirling wind, the story was Mickelson, who grabbed the halfway lead in a major championship for the first time in his career.
“This is the last major of the year,” said Mickelson. “This is the last opportunity for a player to turn a good year into a great year,” he said, clearly describing himself.
Mickelson started quickly this year with three victories, a second and a third in his first 11 tournaments, but finished no better than 26th in his last five.
“The middle of the year I just didn’t have very strong desire,” Mickelson said. “I have that desire back now.”
And he has his putting touch back after a lesson last week that got his stroke silky smooth again.
Mickelson started the day at 7:30 a.m. at 6 under par through 12 holes and immediately made two bogeys and finished the first round with a 67.
“We really didn’t have a chance to get much sleep last night,” the still bleary-eyed Mickelson said. “I didn’t get home until 9:30. It was a long day.”
Mickelson, who had only a 10-minute break between rounds, got back to 6 under by the 12th hole of the second 18 then knocked a lob wedge to a foot on No. 13, made a 15-footer on No. 14, a 25-footer on No. 17 and a 4-footer on the final hole for his fourth birdie on the back nine.
xxxx LEADERBOARD Leaders after the second round of the PGA Championship: Phil Mickelson 67-67-134 Justin Leonard 71-66-137 Kenny Perry 66-72-138 Vijay Singh 69-69-138 Mark Brooks 68-70-138