Mickelson joins stars atop BMW
Makes 10 birdies to share lead with Singh at 16 under
The BMW Championship turned into golf’s version of an All-Star Game Saturday with Phil Mickelson making 10 birdies to share the lead with Vijay Singh, and a host of other proven players lined up behind them at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind.
Mickelson shrugged when asked about all the stars on the leader board, only because he figured his name wasn’t at the top and there was still work to be done. That was before Singh had his only three-putt of the tournament from about 45 feet on the final hole that made him settle for a 69.
They were at 16-under 200 going into a final round loaded with possibilities.
Rory McIlroy, going for consecutive FedEx Cup playoff wins and his PGA Tourleading fourth of the year, birdied the 18th to salvage an ordinary day with a 69. He was one shot behind with Lee Westwood, a former world No. 1 who made all five of his birdies on the back nine for a 68.
Dustin Johnson, who has finished no worse than fourth in the other two playoff events, had a 67 and was in the group two shots behind that included Adam Scott and Robert Garrigus, who is trying to play his way into the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake outside of Atlanta in two weeks.
Not to be forgotten is Tiger Woods, who turned his sloppy play around by chipping in from 25 feet on the ninth hole that began a run of four birdies in a five-hole stretch. He had to settle for a 71, ending his streak of six consecutive rounds in the 60s.
Woods was only three shots behind.
Westwood is playing these FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time and already he found out what he was missing. Put some of the world’s best players together, and it’s not unusual to see them all at a high level.
“The cream has risen to the top, hasn’t it?” Westwood said.
Other tournaments
KLM Open: Graeme Storm of England blew a five-stroke lead midway through the third round, leaving him in a four-way tie for first in Hilversum, Netherlands. Storm had been in front since the first round and began the day three strokes ahead. He extended his lead to five when he birdied the 12th hole. But bogeys at Nos. 13 and 14 and pars the rest of the way put him at 12-under 198. He is tied with Spaniards Pablo Larrazabal (64) and Gonzalo FernandezCastano (66) and Scotland’s Scott Jamieson (66).
Kingsmill Championship: Paula Creamer moved into position to end a two-year victory drought, shooting a 6-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead into the final round in Williamsburg, Va. Creamer, nine-time LPGA Tour winne,r chipped in for birdie on the par-4 13th in her bogey-free round. She had a 16-under 197 total, the lowest 54-hole score in the history of the event. Second-round leader Jiyai Shin was second after a 69.
U.S. Amateur: Michael Castleforte, John Rudolph, John Ehrgott and Matthew Mattare each shot 2-under 69s to share the first-round lead in strokeplay qualifying in Lake Forest, Ill. Sean Knapp of Oakmont is tied for fourth after a 72 and Nathan Smith (73) of Allison Park is tied for fifth. The top 64 players after two rounds of qualifying will advance to match play.