Mickelson maintains 2-shot lead in Desert Classic
LA QUINTA, CALIF. >> Phil Mickelson made three long birdie putts on the back nine Saturday to take a twostroke lead into the final round of the Desert Classic.
Making his first start of the year, the 48-year-old Mickelson shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 on the Stadium Course at PGA West to get to 22-under 194.
“I don’t know what to say,” Mickelson said. “I played OK and my goal or game plan of playing the Stadium Course is to actually hit drivers and to try to bomb it down there as close to the greens as you can . ... It seemed to play out OK and I gave myself a lot of good chances. I missed a few short putts ... but I also made a couple of long ones that were nice little bonuses.”
He topped the leaderboard for the third straight day after matching his career-low score with an opening 60 at La Quinta Country Club and shooting a 68 on Friday on PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament Course.
“It’s so fun,” Mickelson said. “I just love being in contention, having a chance to win, being in the final group, feeling the nerves, feeling that excitement, the opportunity. It’s just, it’s really fun.”
The tournament winner in 2002 and 2004, Lefty rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th and added a 12-footer on the par-4 14th. After missing a 10-foot try on the par-5 16th to spoil an up-and-down bid from the deep greenside bunker, he ran in a 25-footer on the island green, par-3 17th called Alcatraz.
Adam Hadwin was second after a 65 on the Nicklaus layout. The Canadian has three straight top-six finishes in the event. He was second in 2017 after a thirdround 59 at La Quinta and tied for third last year.
Adam Long was third at 19 under after a 63 at La Quinta, and Steve Marino had a 67 on the Nicklaus layout to get to 18 under.
Ko, Ji share lead
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. >> Lydia Ko could only think about the putts that didn’t go in, perhaps because she was used to making so many.
Ko ran off four birdies on the front nine for a 30, and it was enough to carry her to a 5-under 66 and a share of the lead with Eun-Hee Ji going into the final round of the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions on the LPGA Tour.
Ji also was hot early, and a pair of birdies early on the back nine gave her a 66.
They were at 13-under
200.
Brooke Henderson of Canada was poised to make it a three-way tie at the top until she made bogey on the
par-3 closing hole for a 69, leaving her one shot behind. Nelly Korda had an eagle and four birdies for a 65 and was two shots off the lead.
The LPGA Tour season opener is limited to winners each of the last two seasons for a $1.2 million purse.
Lowry resists Sterne’s challenge
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES >> Shane Lowry made birdie on the last hole to finish off a wire-to-wire victory in the Abu Dhabi Championship.
If only it were that simple. His three-shot lead to start the final round was gone in three holes. When he walked off the 11th green with his fourth bogey of the round, Lowry found himself trailing Richard Sterne by four shots with seven holes to play.
The 31-year-old Irishman showed plenty of fight the rest of the way and delivered his best full swing when he needed it. Lowry hit 3-wood onto the green at the par-5 18th and twoputted for birdie and a 1-under 71 for a one-shot victory.
Lowry won for the first time since he captured the World Golf Championship at Firestone in the summer of 2015.