Lurking: Tiger, Phil in same pairing

McClatchy Newspapers

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Between them, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have slipped into a famed green jacket six times after winning the Masters, including a couple of times when they presented them to each other.

If one of them is going to add to that total today, they’re going to have to really make a move in the final round.

Woods and Mickelson are tied with seven other players for 10th at 4-under-par 212 entering Sunday’s play, and the world’s two top-ranked players are seven shots out of the lead. The course record at Augusta National Golf Club is 9-under 63, set by Nick Price in 1986 and Greg Norman in 1996.

The best score of this year’s tournament is 65 (one each in the first two rounds), and the best round Saturday was 68 (shot by five players).

Woods and Mickelson will play together today in the 1:35 p.m. pairing, an hour before the leaders tee off.

“I’ve got to go out and shoot a low number,” Mickelson said. “I’ve got to go out and shoot something in the mid-60s. And again, I think it’s there with this golf course. The greens are being receptive, and there were a number of opportunities I had early on from around 8 to 10 feet that didn’t go in.

“I think there’s a low round out there.”

Mickelson’s lowest round at the Masters was a 65 in the first round in 1996, and his best score in the final round was a 68 in 2003. Mickelson won the tournament in 2004 and 2006.

Woods’ best round was a 65 in 1997 and 2005, and his best final round was a 68 in 2001. Woods has four Masters wins (1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005), but he has never won a major title when he wasn’t leading or had a tie for the lead entering the final round.

Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera are tied for the lead at 11 under. Chad Campbell is two shots back at 9 under.

“It really depends,” Woods said of his chances today while the leaders were still on the course Saturday. “If Kenny and Chad go out and shoot 2, 3 or 4 under, it really kind of puts us out of reach. If they come back a little bit or stay where they’re at, we have a chance.”

Woods looked like he was out of it after the first hole Saturday.

He entered the round at 2 under but started his day with a double-bogey 6, putting his tee shot on the first hole in the trees and had a three-putt to drop back to even par for the tournament. Woods, however, responded with birdies on the third and ninth holes before a bogey on the 11th.

He then finished with three birdies in his final six holes for a 70.

“It was not a very good start, obviously,” Woods said. “Making a double at 1 and three-putting the first hole, I just put myself behind the eight-ball. But man, I fought hard to get back into it.”

Mickelson had a 71 on Saturday with two birdies on the front nine and two on the back. But he bogeyed the 10th and 11th holes to slow his round and had another bogey on the 16th.

Still, Mickelson had a nice save on the 18th hole for par.

“I’m at 4 under, and I don’t think I’m out of it by any means,” he said.

The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.