Mickelson one shot behind leader at Pebble Beach Pro

The biggest story was Phil Mickelson starting hot, and getting into contention at an event he has won 4 times. He didn’t reach the lows that Mickelson or Kang did, but he didn’t have any speed bumps with two birdies and no bogeys. When Kang completed his round, he was tied for the midpoint lead at 11-under. He had a one-shot lead playing the final hole of the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, made double bogey and said later, “I am such an idiot”. When he made a 40-foot eagle putt on the 10th hole, he was 7 under for the round and had a pair of par 5s remaining. Spieth, after a 69 at Monterey, is at a cumulative 3-under 140. He played Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula for his practice rounds and realized he should have been at Spyglass “because it’s a pretty tough course”.

Larsen was a stroke ahead of Justine Dreher of France in the 54-hole tournament co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.

Mickelson has a good history on the Monterey Peninsula, winning the AT&T four times, 1998, 2005, 2007 and 2012, when head-to-head he beat Tiger Woods. “And then I played all the easy ones over par…” His ball striking was attractive, but the slower poa annua greens gave Spieth fits.

He didn’t contribute any shots to their pro-am score, but Rose said the highlight was on the 16th tree when Timberlake grabbed a guitar for an impromptu performance, with Alfonso Ribeiro chipping in. Mickelson is from San Diego.

Kyle Stanley (73 at Spyglass) of Gig Harbor and Andres Gonzales (74 at Monterey) of Olympia were in the group tied for 75th at even par. Then Friday, he was brilliant. “I hit some shots I didn’t care for today….”

“I still thought the par was 72”, he said.

I think so too. Needing a two at the ninth hole to register a 59, Kang hit what he called his “worst shot of the day” to miss the green. “So I’ll go back to my other driver”. “Nobody’s going to hate me”.

Sung Kang didn’t know anything about his amateur partner until he went on the Internet and looked up actor-comedian Ray Romano. “I shot 61.’ ‘No”, he said, ‘You shot 60′”. “Even after we finished the hole”.

This wasn’t a vintage Spieth round, just an efficient, quick day for the world’s best player.

“I just couldn’t get it in the hole”, added Spieth, who said he hoped for better success on firmer greens at Pebble Beach on Saturday. “I like the view and it’s ideal weather”. “I drove the ball spectacular…” “He worked with Sung a little bit last time he had his card, knew he needed a caddie and knew I needed work”. I’ve struggled here on the Monterrey Peninsula the past few years.

Phil Mickelson probably wasn’t happy to see Kang and Iwata perform so well, though given the way Lefty has been rolling this year, he may not be paying attention to anyone else. That stands to reason when one shoots 60 and the other 65. “The last piece is performing (in) the clutch”.