FORT WORTH, Texas — Phil Mickelson was already frustrated by his slow start in the third round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational.
Then he finally saw a scoreboard.
“I couldn’t see the first five holes how anybody was doing,” Mickelson said. “I walk up to the sixth tee and see I’m three or four shots back. That was kind of a rude awakening.”
Mickelson responded by hitting a perfect drive at the 394-yard sixth and then his approach to 5 feet. That was the first of his seven birdies over the closing stretch for a 5-under-par 65 on Saturday that kept him alone in the lead at 12-under 198.
When he made a 17-foot birdie putt from the front edge at the 18th hole, Mickelson took a one-stroke lead over Rod Pampling (63) and Stephen Ames (64).
While Mickelson struggled early, with a bogey and several missed chances, Pampling and Ames got off to fast starts. Ames had three birdies in the first four holes and finished without a bogey.
Pampling was 5-under through seven holes. By the time Mickelson saw the scoreboard, he was 6-under — three strokes behind Pampling and two behind Ames.
“It was tough to be patient when I am watching guys shoot 4- or 5-under-par the front nine and take off,” Mickelson said. “All of a sudden I go from leading to three or four shots back. But again, I knew that I had those holes to play, and if I could make some birdies and follow suit, I’d be able to hopefully catch up.”
Mickelson did, and for the 27th time takes a lead into the final round of a tournament. He has gone on to win 19 times, including the Northern Trust Open in February, his only victory this season.
The last six Colonial champions led or were tied for the lead after 54 holes.
Langer leads Senior PGA
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Steady Bernhard Langer held off Jay Haas’ late run, which included an eagle on Oak Hill Country Club’s No. 17, and took the lead after the third round of the Senior PGA Championship.
Langer, the Champions Tour money leader, finished with an even-par 70 to put him at 2-over 212, a shot ahead of Haas and local favorite Jeff Sluman.
Haas vaulted into contention with an eagle-2 from the rough on the second-to-last hole but then closed with a bogey to cap a 72.
“I was just hoping to play the last few holes as good as I could,” Haas said. “I saw the crowd go nuts up there, and then I went pretty nuts.”
Sluman was among the leaders but was undone by closing with three straight bogeys for a 70. Scott Simpson and Bill Britton were tied at 216, and Greg Norman was part of a four- man group at 217.
Jang, Blasberg tied at top
CORNING, N.Y. — Jeong Jang, fresh from two straight top-three finishes that moved her to fifth on the 2008 LPGA money list, shot a 3-under 69 to tie Erica Blasberg for the lead after three rounds of the Corning Classic.
Playing with a bandage that conceals a painful cyst, Jang sank a 3-foot birdie putt on the final hole to tie Blasberg (70) at 7-under 209.
The top two were one shot ahead of Leta Lindley (70) and Katherine Hull (72).
Karlsson in control
VIRGINIA WATER, England — Robert Karlsson shot a 2-under 70 in windy conditions to take a four-stroke lead after the third round of the BMW PGA Championship.
Karlsson was tied for second overnight, four shots behind Paul McGinley, but finished the third round leading Miguel-Angel Jimenez (72) and Oliver Wilson (73) by four shots.
