Phil's Gone and Done It Again

SAN DIEGO -- Phil Mickelson arrived at Torrey Pines for Saturday's third round of the Farmers Insurance Open embroiled in controversy.

Once play began Lefty was soon so far down a ravine after his tee shot on No. 4, he was almost as close to Black's Beach, a local clothing-optional hangout, as the fairway. Three holes later, he was up a tree, his tee ball stuck in a giant eucalyptus.

And then there was Mickelson's last stop for the day: The leaderboard.

It was Philly Mick at his most Philly Mick-est -- gambling, scrambling and then pontificating -- on the way to a 2-under 70 that puts him 9 under par for the week and four shots back of leader Ryuji Imada heading into Sunday's final round.

"I'm in position where a good round will get it done," he said. "Something in the mid-to-high 60s is going to have a chance."

It's Mickelson's opportunity to return fire. He has taken some nasty hits this week because of his decision to use a legal loophole to play a non-conforming, pre-1990 Ping Eye-2 square-groove wedge. Some of the comments left him pretty hot, like when Scott McCarron suggested it was akin to cheating.

"We all have our opinions on the matter, but a line was crossed and I was publicly slandered," Mickelson said. "Because of that I will have to let other people handle it."

Mickelson was asked if that meant legal action?

"I'm not sure," he said. "I think the tour will probably get on top of it."

Although it came two full days after McCarron, who happens to be a member of the Tour Policy Advisory Council, first shared his opinion, PGA Tour officials did release a statement late Saturday, indeed supporting Mickelson.

In short it said the club is not in violation of the Rules of Golf, and, thus, public comments or criticism are "inappropriate at best."

The controversy didn't seem to affect Mickelson's golf. In his first event of the young season, Lefty was the roller-coaster ride he always seems to be: three birdies, one eagle, one bogey and a double.

"I'll take the round," he said. "Obviously, I didn't hit the ball very well. I was hitting so good a week ago getting ready for this event. I think I'm so amped up. My timing is off, I'm over-swinging trying to hit it so hard. I've got to settle down a little bit. But my short game kept me in it. I got up and down a bunch."

No question Mickelson's best save of the day was the canyon escape from the left side of No. 4. His tee shot finally stopped some 25 yards beyond the hazard line.

Both Mickelson and caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay figured it was long gone as they watched the ball fly toward the drop-off.

"I just took like a half-hearted look, and sure enough, not only did I find it, but it's like halfway decent," Mickelson said. "I probably could have tried to get it on the green. Bones talked me into going two clubs less to make sure I got it up and over the bushes."

From 180 yards out, Mickelson popped an 8-iron short of the front bunker, then chipped to eight feet and saved par.

The eucalyptus tree at No. 7 was another matter.

On the fly, and again going left, Mickelson's tee ball struck the tree and never came down.

A supportive fan even climbed high into the timber, attempting to shake the ball loose. But no luck, sending Mickelson back to the tee box hitting three. He made double.

"A gentleman was trying to help me out," Mickelson said. "I had to identify it, and if I could have, I could have dropped right there, one-stroke penalty. But instead I had to go back to the tee."

It wasn't because of a lack of effort by the supportive fan.

His high-wire climb did dislodge one ball.

"It was about a 1971 range ball," Mackay said. "But we appreciated the effort. When we walked up, he said, 'You want me to go up?' We said, 'Go at it.' It was a hell of an effort on his part."

Before heading back to the tee, Mickelson provided an autographed ball as payment for the good try.

"I'm not as mobile as I used to be," Mackay said. "I have a sore toe, which kind of excluded me from climbing a tree today."

Instead, Mickelson shimmied back up the leaderboard by eagling the 597-yard par-5 13th hole with a 324-yard drive followed by a 267-yard approach shot that stopped nine feet from the pin.

And now look where's he's at -- in the final-day hunt.