Phil Mickelson had another easy time with the South Course at Torrey Pines and is one round away from winning on the course that once felt like home.
Despite making only one birdie on the par 5s, Mickelson shot a 4-under 68 and was tied with Bill Haas going into the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open.
"This course doesn't reward you for taking on any challenge," Mickelson said. "My more conservative approach into the greens, albeit boring, has led me to be on top of the leaderboard."
Mickelson and Haas were at 12-under 204, a stroke ahead of Hunter Mahan and Bubba Watson, who each made eagle on the 18th. Tiger Woods shot himself out of the tournament by making careless mistakes.
The former champion shot a 2-over 74, ending his streak of 21 rounds at par or better on the South Course in PGA Tour events. Woods wound up eight shots behind.
His start to a new season brought out a familiar result. Just like so much last year, Woods goes into a final round out of contention on a course where he once dominated. Woods made bogey from the second fairway with a wedge in his hand, and his day didn't improve.
"I did not play well at all today," he said. "It was a struggle all day, and I finally found something at 16. But 15 holes already had gone by, so that was pretty frustrating."
{{/usCountry}}"I did not play well at all today," he said. "It was a struggle all day, and I finally found something at 16. But 15 holes already had gone by, so that was pretty frustrating."
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