Mickelson fronts up

Apr 12 2009

Phil Mickelson launched his bid for one of the greatest comebacks in major history - and possibly the world number one spot as well - with a Masters record-equalling front nine of just 30 strokes at Augusta National on Sunday.

Mickelson grabbed six birdies in the space of seven holes to climb from joint 10th place overnight to joint second with Angel Cabrera and Chad Campbell.

They were only one behind Kenny Perry, the 48-year-old American who was trying to become the oldest major champion ever.

Tiger Woods, who would lose the number one position if he was outside the top five and Mickelson won, was not out of it either.

With a 25-foot eagle putt on the eighth he turned in 33 to be joint sixth, only four back. They had started the day seven behind.

Perry and Cabrera shared the overnight lead and Cabrera struck first with a five-foot birdie on the third. But he bogeyed the next two.

There was not a single European on the leaderboard at that point. Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were joint 10th with Woods and Mickelson when they resumed, but the former turned in 36 and Westwood, having double-bogeyed the seventh, 37.

There was more bad news for Padraig Harrington followers as well. After his nine at the second on Saturday Harrington lost a ball up a tree on the ninth and ran up a triple-bogey seven.

The Open and US PGA champion was out in 39 and when he bogeyed the next hole he stood three over. But then came an eagle at the 13th.

Rory McIlroy also turned in 39, but the 19-year-old birdied six of his last 10 holes for a 70 and two-under aggregate on his debut, the same as last week's Houston Open winner Paul Casey.