Playing his first tournament since turning 50 this month, Phil Mickelson shot a seven-under 63 on Friday in the Travelers Championship to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend.
Lefty said it was perhaps the wisdom that comes with his age that made him stay within himself instead of going toe to toe with his long-hitting playing partners, top-ranked Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.
‘There’s some holes I can open it up and try to hit driver, but really I just want to get it in play on a lot of holes and let my wedges take over, and I’ve hit a lot of good wedge shots this week,’ said Mickelson, the 2001 and 2002 tournaments winner.
McIlroy followed his first-round 63 with a 68. He was tied for fourth, four strokes off the lead and happy to be in contention.
‘I know what it feels like to go low out here, so I’ll need a couple of good ones over the weekend,’ he said. ‘But the game feels in decent shape, and obviously get out early tomorrow and try to get back in the mix.’
DeChambeau, the third member of the marquee trio, had the most entertaining round of the three. He was eight under after a 67 that included the strangest bogey of the day.
His tee shot on the par-four 10th hit the cart path, rolled and rolled and ended up 428 yards from the tee and 48 yards from the hole.
Louis Oosthuizen is in 26th and seven back. A second-round 70 dropped him down the board despite hitting 15 of 18 greens in regulation.
His three countrymen missed the cut with Branden Grace (68-69) missing the number by one. He hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation on Friday but lost 1.5 shots to the field on the green. Dylan Frittelli finished at +1 alongside Charl Schwartzel.
