Mickelson misses chance for tour 36-hole record
BY Associated Press
Saturday, February 02, 2013
2/02/13 at 5:53 AM
Phil Mickelson made a mess of his final hole in the second round of the Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz., costing him another shot at history.
A day after his putt for a 59 curled 180 degrees and stay out, Lefty missed a chance to break the PGA Tour's 36-hole scoring record Friday when he finished with a double bogey.
"You always remember kind of the last hole, the last putt," Mickelson said. "But I think it's very possible that's going to help me because it's got me refocused, that I cannot ease up on a single shot. I've got to be really focused. These guys are going to make a lot of birdies and I've got to get after it and cannot make those kinds of mistakes."
Mickelson followed his opening 60 with a 65 to reach 17-under 125, a stroke off the tour record for the first two rounds of a tournament set by Pat Perez in the 2009 Bob Hope Classic and matched by David Toms at Colonial in 2011.
Bill Haas was second, four strokes back.
Sterne leads in Dubai: In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Richard Sterne sank a birdie on 18 to take a one-shot lead over Danish youngster Thorbjorn Olesen and two others after the second round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Sergio Garcia pulled to within three of Sterne despite struggling with shoulder problems that required treatment. Sterne finished the day with a 12-under total of 132.
Original Print Headline: Mickelson just shy of 36-hole record
