Bad weather doesn’t slow Mickelson

The weather is getting worse. Phil Mickelson feels he is getting better.

Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday at Spyglass Hill in the most miserable conditions of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach, Calif., giving him a share of the lead with Kevin Sutherland and a great chance to put to rest any notion of a U.S. Open hangover.

Sutherland got into the final group for the second time in three weeks with a birdie on his final hole at Poppy Hills for a 67 and joined Mickelson atop the leaderboard at 14-under 202.

Rookie John Mallinger had a 68 at Poppy and was one shot behind.

Jim Furyk had to take on rain that fell sideways in 20 mph gusts at Pebble Beach on Saturday, and it was costly. He hit a fairway metal for his second shot on the par-4 10th over the cliffs and took double bogey, and wound up with a 76 to fall six strokes back.

Some big names are atop the leaderboard, but they have a lot of ground to cover.

Davis Love III shot 70 at Spyglass and Corey Pavin shot 67 at Pebble Beach. They were tied for fourth at 9-under 207. Furyk was in the group at 208. Vijay Singh was poised to move a little closer to the top until hitting a tee shot into the ocean, another shot over the corporate boxes on the 18th at Pebble Beach and making double bogey to shoot 71. He was eight shots behind, along with Tom Watson, who had a 72 at Spyglass.

Champions Tour

Champions Tour player of the year Jay Haas shot a 7-under 65 for a share of the second-round lead in the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Fla., with Craig Stadler and Mark James.

Stadler followed his opening 63 with a 70 to join Haas and James (69) at 11-under 133 on The Old Course at Broken Sound. Morris Hatalsky (67) was a stroke back, and Dana Quigley (65), Brad Bryant (67) and Andy Bean (69) were 9 under.