British Open: Finau remains in top 10 after second round

The Swede is looking for a reverse situation with 36 holes to play.

“So far, so good”, said Stenson whose 65 matched the lowest score ever shot by the late Payne Stewart in a second round at Royal Troon in The Open.

Mickelson finished three shots ahead of Stenson three years ago at Muirfield when Lefty closed with a 66 in one of the best final rounds of a major. He is trying to become only the eighth player dating to Old Tom Morris in 1861 to win his first major after turning 40.

The Swede agreed it had been like a matchplay duel between the two, and was happy to “get in a couple of big punches” at the short holes on the back nine.

On a cool, blustery day along the Irish Sea, Phil Mickelson starts out at 10 under and clinging to a one-stroke lead over Henrik Stenson.

And even with the tee moved forward on the 11th, Porteous made bogey there for the third day running after going to the turn in 33 and picking up another shot on the 10th.

On the par-3 14th, there was a two-shot swing with a Stenson birdie and a Mickelson three-putt bogey.

Mickelson and Stenson each entered the clubhouse with pars, which sets the stage for what should be a remarkable showdown Sunday.

Mickelson, who leads from compatriot Patrick Reed and Germany’s Martin Kaymer on five-under, was playing with Lee Westwood and Ernie Els on a glorious day at Troon.

England’s Andrew Johnston is at five-under, while JB Holmes of the United States sits at four-under after a 69.

Several big names attempted to get themselves in the mix, but none of them made noticeable gains.

Yet, seeing the way Stenson and Mickelson are hitting the ball compared to the rest of the field, it will take quite the miracle to wrestle the Jug away from either of them.

Among the other early finishers, Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark was three shots off the lead after a 68, while defending Open champion Zach Johnson was in the mix again with a 70 that left him five shots behind.

After the round, Mickelson quickly shook off any suggestion that this would be match play between two Ryder Cup rivals, but Stenson seemed to embrace it.

So there is pressure to deal with in both corners of the ring.

Stenson turned a one-shot overnight deficit into an identical advantage following a rollercoaster day which saw the final group separate themselves from the chasing pack and Rory McIlroy’s patience snap – along with his three wood. They went at it again Saturday, trading birdies and switching places on the leaderboard.

I was off today.

Mickelson did shoot 70, his third straight round under par 71, and he did provide a Mickelson masterpiece on No. 12, rectifying a wayward tee shot by punching out from just in front of the abominable gorse. “Unless someone goes out there to post a silly number, as of now, I would think it’s a battle between Phil and myself”. “I’m playing really nicely and I know Phil will not back off, he is one of the finest players to have played in the last 50 years but I’m right where I want to be”.

“The game of golf, it just comes and goes”, Mickelson said. From there, I just played really solid from there on, the last six or seven holes. I’m going to have to get off to fast start.

“I was actually more anxious about yesterday’s round than I was about these coming rounds because I feel very comfortable in the conditions to be able to shoot a number, shoot a good score”. “All these highlights and I feel like crying”.