AKRON, Ohio — Phil Mickelson has won 35 times around the world, starting with a PGA Tour event when he was still in college. His collection includes three major championships, and he is solidly entrenched at No. 2 in the world rankings.
That must make him the best player to have never won a World Golf Championship.
Mickelson got a chuckle out of the playful suggestion after making a mid-round adjustment Saturday at the Bridgestone Invitational that led to three straight birdies and a 2-under 68, giving him a share of the lead with Vijay Singh and Lee Westwood.
It's not quite the same burden as ”best to have never won a major,“ the label he shed in 2004 at the Masters. And the WGC events are not nearly as prestigious as the majors.
Singh missed two putts inside 3½ feet, but he holed two straight birdies from 12 feet to keep pace with Mickelson and wound up with a 69. The big Fijian will be in the final group with Westwood, who was far more conventional. The 35-year-old from England said he drove as well as he can remember, missing only two fairways, and wound up with a 67.
They all were at 8-under 202 — three players from three parts of the world, giving this a truly global appeal.
Not to be forgotten was Stuart Appleby of Australia, the only player to compete in all 29 of these events since they began in 1999.
”I'm certainly overdue,“ Appleby said after a birdie on the final hole for a 67. ”I've been a long time doing this, so it would be nice.“
Appleby is one shot back at 7 under.
Westwood has not won in the United States — other than the Ryder Cup — since New Orleans in 1998, but he holds the distinction of having won on every tour recognized by the International Federation of PGA Tours — South Africa, Asian, Australia, Europe, Japan and the United States.
”You want to win everywhere, don't you?“ Westwood asked. ”I'm proud that I've won on every tour, basically. I haven't won a World Golf Championship, so it would mean a lot.“
Fudoh eyes first major
SUNNINGDALE, England — Yuri Fudoh of Japan shot a 3-under 69 to lead by one stroke after the third round of the Women's British Open on Saturday.
Fudoh is at 13-under 203 at Sunningdale and in sight of her first major title.
Ji-Yai Shin of South Korea (70) is second after making a bogey at the 18th. Shin drove her tee shot into the rough, then pulled her second shot into the gallery. Taking a drop, she pitched 20 feet past the hole and then missed the par putt.
Fudoh was the leading money winner on the Japanese LPGA from 2000-05 and has won 45 tournaments in her home country.
Romero leads Senior Open
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Eduardo Romero grabbed the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Senior Open with a 5-under-par 65, conquering not only a course but also a field that one day earlier was bedeviled by perilous pin placements and a curious black bear.
”Fantastic round. I played great today,“ said Romero, whose three-day total of 9-under 201 is two shots ahead of Fred Funk (69), who relinquished the lead with three bogeys on the back nine, and three ahead of John Cook (66).
Tom Kite (71) is in fourth, eight shots back and the only other golfer under par for the tournament.
McLachlin up by six
RENO, Nev. — Parker McLachlin made a 9-foot eagle putt and shot a 6-under 66 Saturday to take a six-stroke lead into the final round of the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open.
Brian Davis also carded a 68 on his 35th birthday to move into second place.
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