Golf roundup: Phil Mickelson again misses a record on final hole

Phil Mickelson missed a chance to break the PGA Tour's 36-hole scoring record when he finished with a double bogey, but still holds a four-shot lead midway through the Phoenix Open.

Mickelson followed his opening 60 with a 65 on Friday to reach 17-under 125, a stroke off the tour record for the first two rounds of a tournament set by Pat Perez (2009 Bob Hope Classic) and tied by David Toms (2011 Colonial).

"Unfortunately, I made a double on the last hole and didn't finish the way I wanted to," Mickelson said. "But I think it's a good example of what can happen on this course. You can make a lot of birdies and eagles, make up a lot of ground, but there's a lot of water and trouble there that if you misstep you can easily make bogeys and double."

He still tied the Phoenix Open record set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001, but history slipped through his hands for the second straight day on the last hole. On Thursday, he had a 25-foot birdie putt for a 59 on No. 9 that caught the right edge, curled 180 degrees and stayed out.

Mickelson parred the first six holes, and played the next 11 in 8 under before making a mess of the par-4 18th. His drive bounced into the left-side water hazard and, after a penalty drop, he hit an approach that landed on the green and rolled off the front edge. His chip ran 7 feet past and his bogey putt slid by to the left.

The double bogey left him four strokes ahead of Bill Haas (64) and five in front of Keegan Bradley (63) and Brandt Snedeker (66).

Jason Dufner missed the cut by a stroke, ending the tour's longest active streak at 22.

Briefly

Dubai Desert Classic: Richard Sterne sank a birdie on 18 to take a one-shot lead over Danish youngster Thorbjorn Olesen and two others after the second round of the Dubai Desert Classic in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Sergio Garcia pulled to within three shots of the lead despite struggling with shoulder problems. Sterne is at 12-under 132.

Australian Ladies Masters: American Alison Walshe birdied the 17th hole in an opening-round 6-under 66 that gave her a one-stroke lead over Jessica Korda at the Australian Ladies Masters at Royal Pines in Gold Coast, Australia.

Tournament postponed: The Tournament of Hope, a South African golf tournament claiming to be among the richest anywhere outside the United States with prize money of $8.5 million, won't take place in November as planned after failing to secure sponsorship. It was to be the centerpiece of a proposed worldwide AIDS awareness effort.

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