Mickelson maintains pace

PHIL Mickelson watches his putt on the 10th hole during the second round of the Desert Classic golf tournament on Friday. AP

LOS ANGELES– Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson followed up his spectacular first-round 60 with a four-under par 68 on Friday to hold a two-shot lead after two rounds of the Desert Classic.

I finished strong, birdied four of the last five

Mickelson birdied four of his last five holes on the Nicklaus Tournament course, one of three par-72 layouts in use in the US PGA Tour tournament in the California desert east of Los Angeles.

He overcame a double-bogey six at the par-four 18th — his ninth of the day which saw him make the turn at even par for the round.

Mickelson’s 16-under total of 128 put him two strokes in front of Australian rookie Curtis Luck, who grabbed his eighth birdie of the day at his final hole — the ninth — to post a 66 on the Nicklaus course and a 14-under par total of 130.

Canadian Adam Hadwin and American Steve Marino shared third on 131.

Marino had five birdies and an eagle hole-in-one on the par-three seventh on the way to a seven-under par 65 at the La Quinta course.

Hadwin had seven birdies and one bogy in a 66 at La Quinta, where Mickelson fashioned his 60 a day earlier.

“I actually felt better striking it but I didn’t putt very well today, certainly relative to yesterday where I was making everything,” Mickelson said. “But I finished strong, birdied four of the last five.

Mickelson, playing his first tournament of 2019, called it a “fun, if not surprising, start” to his year.

“It’s fun to be in the mix,” said Mickelson, whose two-round total is the second-best of his career, behind the 36-hole total of 125 to start the 2013 Phoenix Open.

Mickelson appeared to be picking up where he left off with back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th holes, but his approach at the 18th found the water and he took a double bogey.

An eight-foot birdie putt at the fifth sparked a string of three straight birdies and he picked up one more shot at the ninth.