SAN DIEGO — Phil Mickelson found the trick to playing the revamped South Course at Torrey Pines and left himself one round away from winning on a course that once felt like home.
Going against his nature, Mickelson played it safe again Saturday and wound up with a 4-under-par 68 to share the lead with Bill Haas going into the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open. Haas missed a 4-foot par putt on the last hole for a 71.
It has been 10 years since Mickelson won his third title at Torrey Pines, a public course he grew up playing in San Diego.
“I love playing well in this tournament, and I’ve missed it,” Mickelson said.
Tiger Woods, who has not lost a tournament at Torrey Pines since 2004, shot himself out of the tournament with careless mistakes. Woods had a 2-over 74, ending his streak of 21 rounds at par or better on the South Course in PGA Tour events. He was eight shots behind, his largest 54-hole deficit at Torrey since 2004.
Even with his longtime nemesis out of the way, Mickelson doesn’t see an easy path to winning.
Haas is coming off a two-win season in 2010, and lost in a playoff a week ago at the Bob Hope Classic. He kept making enough birdies to keep in front of Mickelson, including a 25-foot putt on the 15th, the toughest hole on the course.
They were at 12-under 204.
Hunter Mahan and Bubba Watson each made eagle on the par-5 18th to shoot 69 and were one shot behind. Another shot back was Anthony Kim, who escaped with only a bogey on the 15th after an adventure through the eucalyptus trees, and birdied the 18th for a 71.
John Daly, who pulled within one shot of the lead early in the third round, fell apart with a string of bogeys and shot 76.
Casey, Hanson tied.
Paul Casey shot a 6-under 66, and Peter Hanson had a 67 to share the third-round lead in the Volvo Champions in Riffa, Bahrain.
Langer, O’Meara lead.
Bernhard Langer made an 8-foot birdie putt on the sixth hole for four skins and $120,000, giving the German star and partner Mark O’Meara the lead in the Champions Skins Game in Kaanapali, Hawaii.
Fuzzy Zoeller and Ben Crenshaw were second with $80,000. Defending champions Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson won the first two skins for $60,000.
