TROON, Scotland — Henrik Stenson is only one stroke behind Phil Mickelson at the British Open.

Stenson shot a 6-under 65 for the lowest round of the morning starters and is 9 under. It was the Swedish player’s lowest round in 12 Opens.

Meanwhile, 2001 champion David Duval has withdrawn because of injury before starting his second round. He shot 82 on Thursday.

Mickelson almost aced the “Postage Stamp,” made his first bogeys of the week, and shot 2-under 69 to stay out in front at rainy Royal Troon.

Mickelson walked off the 18th green at 10 under and with a two-shot lead over Stenson, who had three holes left in his second round. After making the turn in 33, Mickelson led by five shots but the 46-year-old American bogeyed Nos. 12 and 15.

Among the highlights of Mickelson’s second round was his tee shot on No. 8, the famous par-3 nicknamed the “Postage Stamp,” that rolled to within inches of the cup for a birdie.

Mickelson was the eighth player to open a major with a 63. Of that eight, he was only the third to break par in his next round.

Ben Curtis visited three separate bunkers and came away with an ugly 10 at the third hole at Royal Troon.

All in all, the 2003 champion at Royal St. George’s had six shots in the sand, starting with taking three to get out of a fairway bunker after pushing his tee shot left. His fifth shot found the front-left greenside bunker. He took two shots to get the ball out, only to see it roll into another bunker in front of him.

Curtis chipped onto the green and two-putted for 10. The 39-year-old American wound up shooting 83 in his second round and was 18 over par.

Curtis was chuckling about his misfortune afterward, but said he wasn’t at the time, saying “I wanted to go jump in the ocean.”

French golfer Clement Sordet woke up at 4 a.m. on Friday to text messages asking if he was safe following the tragedy in his hometown of Nice.

In fact, Sordet was in Scotland for the British Open at Royal Troon, but his girlfriend, Marie, and her family were in Nice and celebrating Bastille Day when a truck plowed through revelers gathered along the Riviera city’s waterfront promenade. At least 84 people were killed.

Sordet says the tragedy “happened about 500 meters from where I live” and that “it’s a really sad situation. I give my thoughts to all the families and to the people who died.”

He says his girlfriend and her family are safe.