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Six away from 7th Mickelson birdies three of last four; Woods six back
Posted: Sunday February 13, 2000 11:33 AM
LA JOLLA, Calif. (AP) -- The Streak might have sprung a leak Saturday. With every birdie down the stretch Saturday, Phil Mickelson put even more distance between himself and Tiger Woods. With every putt that found the bottom of the cup, he made it that much more difficult for the longest winning streak in 52 years to last another week. "He's going to have to do something pretty extraordinary," Mickelson said after a 5-under 67 gave him a two-stroke lead over Shigeki Maruyama in the Buick Invitational and left Woods facing his largest 54-hole deficit -- six strokes -- since The Streak began in August. But just as quickly as he strung together four birdies in six holes, Mickelson caught himself after putting Woods and "extraordinary" in the same sentence. "I don't rule out anything out with him," Mickelson said. Not after what happened six days ago at Pebble Beach, where Woods rallied from seven strokes down with seven holes to play for his sixth straight PGA Tour victory. This time, Woods won't be trying to track down tour rookie Matt Gogel, but a player with 13 career victories who held off Woods on his home turf two years ago to win the Mercedes Championship at La Costa. This time, the guy trying to end the streak is the same guy who helped get it started. Mickelson was at 16-under 200 through three rounds at Torrey Pines, and will be in the final group -- able to watch Woods' every move -- with Maruyama (69) and Davis Love III, who overcame another double bogey for a 69 but was still five strokes back at 205. "Tiger thinks he can win from 10-under, so I know I can from 11," Love said. Woods got within two strokes of the lead at one point, but made only one putt longer than three feet -- a 15-footer for birdie on No. 11 - and finished with a bogey-free 67. That left him where he started -- six strokes behind with 18 holes to play, requiring no less than the greatest comeback in his PGA Tour career. He was five strokes behind after 54 holes at Pebble Beach last week. Woods' greatest comeback ever was in the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand, when he came from eight strokes back on the final day to catch Ernie Els and beat him in a playoff. "That's why I play, for the thrill of it, for the chance," Woods said. "Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but that's the thrill." It could be another thriller Sunday, but that depends on Mickelson. He knows Torrey Pines even better than Woods. He won the Buick in 1993 for his first professional victory and played the front nine three times a week in high school. And Mickelson knows that as long as he birdies the four par-5s -- which he did Saturday -- Woods will be forced "to shoot a ridiculously low round." Then again, Mickelson collapsed with a 40 on the back nine two weeks ago in Phoenix -- the same number Gogel had Monday at Pebble Beach -- and was 134th on tour last year in final-round scoring. That's what made the closing holes so critical. "He's in a good position," Love said. "I think Phil was trying to do the same thing we all were -- to get as far ahead as possible." Mickelson was on the other end six months ago in the NEC Invitational, when he trailed Woods by seven strokes going into the final round. He closed with a 65, but made bogeys on two of the last three holes to finish one stroke behind. That was Woods' first victory in a streak that has captivated the tour and given Woods an intimidating presence on the leaderboard. It will require much more Sunday. Also at 10-under 206 was Jeff Sluman, whose 66 was the best score Saturday, and Fred Couples (67). "If his name is up there and you win the tournament," Couples said, "than you've beaten the best player in the world." Mickelson turned out to be a better player than he was a prophet. He had predicted that Woods would shoot another low round Saturday -- just like his 62 a year ago -- to get into contention, only it didn't happen. And Mickelson said he would have to answer any charge by Woods, which he did. The result was a two-stroke cushion over Maruyama, and a margin three times that large over the player everyone is watching. Even though Mickelson grew up in San Diego, there were more people waiting to get a glimpse of Woods than were following Mickelson around Torrey Pines. Woods at least admitted he was more fatigued than usual, in large part due to playing Pebble Beach on Monday in a thrilling comeback that was emotionally taxing. "But that's no excuse," he said. And that wasn't the problem in the third round, a day on which a light drizzle when he teed off gave way to blue skies filled with sunshine and hang gliders over the Pacific Coast. Woods struck the ball beautifully all day. He only missed two fairways. He gave himself a birdie putt on all but two holes -- and he nearly chipped in for birdie on both of those. The putting was good, too, which is why Woods cringed and winced a lot more often than he pumped his fist. Nothing went in. A fitting end to a frustrating round saw Woods miss birdie putts of 8, 6 and 8 feet on the last three holes. After signing for a 67, he stared at the ground and kicked the tire of a golf cart while waiting to do a TV interview. "Everything I'm going to say is going to be deleted," he said only half-kidding. That might sum up why Woods has won his last six PGA Tour events, the longest streak since Ben Hogan won six straight in 1948. Even on a day when nothing went in, he still managed the second-best round of the day. Unfortunately for Woods, Mickelson matched him stroke for stroke. One more day like that, and the Streak will be over.
DIVOTS: Forget about Tigermania - "Shigeki-mania" also is alive and well in San Diego. After Maruyama shot a 64 in the second round to tie for the lead, the fax machine in the media center started spitting out credential requests - one in Japanese. ... The Match Play Championship field will be set after the Buick Invitational. Among those who probably won't be returning to La Costa are Bill Glasson, who was No. 66 and missed the cut. Glasson knocked off No. 2 David Duval in the second round last year. Also missing the cut were John Cook (No. 71), Jay Haas (No. 72) and Frank Lickliter (No. 75). ... The pre-tournament odds on Tiger Woods winning the Buick? A $100 wager on Woods returns $350. A $500 wager on anyone else in the field returns $100.
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