Helped by one of the more outrageous birdies of his career – and there have been an awful lot of them – Phil Mickelson is on course for the perfect pre-British Open pick-me-up tomorrow.

One of the more outrageous birdies of his career – and there have been an awful lot of them – propelled Phil Mickelson into the lead in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond today.