Sub-par Mickelson takes share of lead at Kemper
(7)
Updated: 2001-05-26 10:09

Despite shooting a four-under-par 67 to share the clubhouse lead at the Avenel TPC course, Mickelson was clearly unhappy after bogeying two of his final three holes.

"I feel I've left four-to-six shots a round out there the last two days," he said after joining fellow American Jeff Julian (66) and Japan's Kazuhiko Hosokawa (65) at seven-under 135.

"I should have separated myself from the field and I haven't done that. I'm not scoring like the way I'm playing and it's very frustrating."

Mickelson's frustration has been accumulating for a while. At the Masters last month, he missed a number of short putts but still finished only two strokes behind winner Tiger Woods.

In New Orleans three weeks ago, he led by three strokes entering the final round but was beaten, and a similar thing happened at last week's Colonial, where he frittered away a four-stroke lead during the final round to allow Sergio Garcia to win.

"The last few tournaments I feel I should not have let anybody have a chance to catch me," he continued. "I'm throwing shots away. I three-putted from five-foot yesterday, and today I three-putted twice."

Mickelson, the only player in the world's top 20 in this week's field, didn't plan to hang around and practice Friday afternoon.

"I'll take the rest of the day off. I don't see how grinding on the range or hitting putt after putt is going to help."

Hosokawa, meanwhile, bogeyed his first hole, but didn't put a foot wrong after that, picking up seven birdies to jump into contention, thanks to a hot putter.

"My good memories make me feel comfortable here," said Hosokawa, who made a final round charge last year before finishing second to Tom Scherrer.

One shot behind the leaders were Australians Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby, and Kiwi Phil Tataurangi.

Appleby, a joint first round leader, birdied three of the first four holes to go nine under, but couldn't maintain his momentum.