Phil Mickelson holds on to lead
It was all part of a wildly entertaining day at Kiawah Island that ended with Mickelson nearly holing a flop shot that can test the nerves of just about any 50-year-old but him.
Kiawah Island: Phil Mickelson could have done without the thrills on Saturday in the PGA Championship.
Losing a five-shot lead in a span of five holes on the back nine. One tee shot into the water, another that ended up under a cart tire.
It was all part of a wildly entertaining day at Kiawah Island that ended with Mickelson nearly holing a flop shot that can test the nerves of just about any 50-year-old but him. That brought Mickelson to the cusp of history not many could have seen coming.
That par save for a 2-under 70 gave him a one-shot lead over Brooks Koepka and left him 18 holes away from becoming the oldest champion in the 161 years of the majors.
When he curled in the 4-foot putt for par on the 18th hole, Mickelson became the oldest player with a 54-hole lead in a major since 59-year-old Tom Watson at Turnberry in 2009. That didn’t end well for Watson, who lost that British Open in a playoff to Stewart Cink. For Mickelson, it’s an opportunity to become the oldest major champion. Julius Boros was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship.
Asked to describe such an occasion, Mickelson was too busy glancing at his watch. Sunlight was fading and he wanted to practice. These opportunities don’t come along as often as they once did. “I’m not really dwelling back on what took place today,” he said.
Sunday should get his attention, starting with the guy who joins him in the final group. Koepka survived what he called the worst putting of his career. Statistically, he was middle of the pack, but he missed a 6-foot par on the final hole for a 70 that cost him a share of the lead. No matter. At stake for Koepka is a shot at his third Wanamaker Trophy in four years. No one has won the PGA Championship so often so quickly since it switched to stroke play in 1958.
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