Mickelson in driving seat after 65

AS temperatures soared to almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit at Baltusrol yesterday, Phil Mickelson was back in his comfortable, air-conditioned room with his feet up and a satisfied smile on his face.

Having declared on Thursday that he “would not shed a tear” for Tiger Woods after he opened the US PGA Championship with a 75, the great left-hander would have been aware the gap between himself and his golfing nemesis was widening still further, and that Woods’ sole preoccupation was in avoiding a missed cut for the first time in his 37 appearances as a professional in major championships.

The margin was a massive fourteen shots when the 2/1 pre-championship favourite plunged his tee shot into the lake guarding the front of the superb par three 4th hole and had to sink a ten footer to avoid a double bogey.