By Peter Zellen
Florida Times-Union sports writer
Morris News Service

PONTE VEDRA BEACH - Of the seven victories posted by Phil Mickelson in the last five years, all have been in tournaments played in Colorado and points west.

But the joke that Mickelson can't win an event east of Denver may soon grow stale as the West Coast native shot a 64 Saturay, finishing the third round of The Players Championship with a 9-under-par 207.

``The way I look at it is there's only a couple of rounds that a player really gets it going,'' Mickelson said. ``And to win tournaments you need to take advantage of those rounds if you do get going. And on the other days when you don't have it all there, be real patient and make those key birdies on those few holes and just not make mistakes.''

Mickelson eagled the 16th hole and birdied six others. He also tied the tournament record with a 30 on the back nine - and those nine holes have kept Mickelson alive at the Sawgrass stadium course. After three rounds, Mickelson is 2-over on the front nine but 11-under after making the turn.

Mickelson, who missed the cut here in 1992 and 93 but finished tied for 14th last year, birdied the 9th, 10th - where he chipped in from 40 feet - and 11th holes.

Performing similar magic later, Mickelson eagled the 497-yard, par-5 16th hole - using a 2-iron for a 224-yard shot to put the ball within a foot of the hole. He followed with birdies on the 17th and 18, two holes that have both hurt and helped Mickelson during the tournament.

On Thursday, Mickelson started on the back nine and double-bogeyed the 18th and then bogeyed the 1st and double-bogeyed the 4th hole. However, Mickelson helped himself out on Friday by shooting par on the 18th hole after birdies on the 16th and 17th holes, allowing him to advance.

``When I drove 18 (on Thursday) it kind of crashed and I went and played the next five holes at five-over and I just played real sloppy,'' he said. ``So I was very fortunate to make the cut.''

But after Saturday's round, Mickelson finds himself very much alive in the tournament, even though he feels he will have to duplicate his exceptional round again to even have a chance.

``The thing I'm pleased about is that I have an outside chance (today),'' said Mickelson, 25. ``If I can get the blades going again and I can shoot (another) 64, I might have an outside shot.''