Mickelson stretches BellSouth lead
DULUTH, Ga. — Jose Maria Olazabal knows something about big second-round leads.
Olazabal's nine-stroke lead midway through the 1990 World Series of Golf is the biggest 36-hole advantage on the PGA Tour since 1970.
Now Olazabal is chasing a similarly imposing lead — Phil Mickelson's six-shot advantage in the BellSouth Classic.
Mickelson shot a 65 Friday for a 16-under 128, giving him the big lead as he tries to win a second-straight BellSouth Classic championship and gain momentum for the Masters next week.
Mickelson's lead is the sixth-biggest through 36 holes in a PGA event since 1970.
"It's going to be very difficult for anybody to catch him unless we play some really awesome golf on the weekend," Olazabal said.
Mickelson is trying to become the first three-time winner in the event. His 128 is the lowest 36-hole total in his career and the lowest two-day total in the history of the tournament.
Mickelson matched the course record with a first-round 63 Thursday at the TPC at Sugarloaf. Now he could be chasing bigger records.
The PGA record for most strokes under par through four rounds on a par-72 course is 29 under by Joe Durant in the 2001 Bob Hope Classic.
Mickelson is on pace to finish at 32-under 256. The PGA record low total for 72 holes is 254 by Tommy Armour III in the 2003 Texas Open.
Mickelson said his emphasis is to carry some steam into the Masters next week. He said he isn't thinking about setting a PGA scoring record.
"I think that the way that the course is continually getting more difficult, I think that's unrealistic," Mickelson said, adding "What you're talking about is not in my mind, no."
There was a long procession of low scores again Friday, when 79 players at par or better survived the cut.
Those chasing Mickelson, including Olazabal, spoke as if the tournament's defending champion was distancing himself from the field in Tiger-like fashion.
"I think at the moment Phil is the only one really doing the fireworks," Olazabal said. "I think he's the one that really maybe has that record in his sight."
Olazabal shot an 8-under 64 Friday for an impressive two-day total of 135. He is third, seven strokes behind Mickelson.
J.J. Henry matched Mickelson's 65 Friday to move into second at 134 — a total that would have led in five of the previous nine years. Instead, Henry is six shots off Mickelson's lead.
Gavin Coles, who was one stroke behind Mickelson following his first-round 64, was 3 over through six holes Friday before recovering for a 72. Coles is fourth at 136, followed by Charles Warren, Jonathan Byrd and Shane Bertsch in a three-way tie for fifth.
Duffy Waldorf shot a 66 Friday and is 6 under at 138.
Mickelson is not accustomed to such big leads here. He needed playoffs to win the BellSouth last year and in 2000.
Aside from 2003, when he missed the cut, Mickelson has been over par in only four of his last 24 rounds at Sugarloaf.
