Lefty’s round a salvage project

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This article was published 18/02/2012 (5307 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES — Phil Mickelson wasn’t at his best Friday at Riviera. Two shots at least helped him stay in the lead.

Despite having only two birdie chances inside 15 feet, Mickelson holed out from the eighth fairway for eagle and chipped in for birdie on the par-3 16th. That carried him to a 1-under 70 and a two-shot lead in the Northern Trust Open.

Mickelson made three par saves from outside 10 feet, starting with his opening hole at the par-4 10th. He went from the front bunker to the back bunker, blasted out safely to 18 feet and curled in the par putt.

That set the tone for a day that only looked good on the scorecard.

“I probably didn’t play the greatest today, but I was able to kind of salvage a good round and had a good break on eight where I holed out from the fairway,” he said. “That was a nice little bonus.”

He was at 6-under 136 among those who finished early at Riviera in mild temperatures and not nearly as much wind as the opening round. That didn’t affect the scoring. There was just enough rain earlier in the week that with foot traffic on the greens, those short putts are no longer as easy to make.

Jimmy Walker had a 66 and was tied for second at 138 along with Carl Pettersson (70) and Matt Kuchar (69), who had a solid day without too much excitement until he drilled his tee shot to a back left pin on No. 6 and left himself 5 feet for birdie.

Before he could putt, he was stung by a bee in his arm.

“I haven’t been stung by a bee in probably 20 years,” Kuchar said. “I had stopped being scared of bees. The thing got me, and it was really painful. It was not much fun.”

Kuchar said his elbow felt as though it were on fire. If that wasn’t enough, there was the advice from the medical staff.

“They said if you have trouble breathing, stop and we’ll try to help you from there,” he said. “But thankfully, everything continued to go pretty normally.”

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The 10th hole was entertaining as ever. Even with the hole location toward the back right of the green, players tried to drive the green. Rocco Mediate thought his shot was perfect, but it hopped into the front bunker and left him little hope. His next shot flew out of the sand, over the green and banged off a television tower, back into another bunker. He saved par.

“This is the coolest hole,” Mediate said. “My favourite place.”

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., was five shots off the lead after shooting 68 on Friday. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., had a late tee-off for his second round. He opened with a 70.

— The Associated Press