A hole in one catapulted Phil Mickelson from the brink of missing the cut to the heels of the leaders as the world number two joined Ernie Els in belatedly finding form at the Scottish Open. Mickelson looked to be heading out of the competition as he struggled to get his score under par in relatively benign conditions on the banks of Loch Lomond on Friday. But his fortunes took a distinct swing for the better when he arrived on the 5th tee, the 14th hole of his second round. From 198 yards, the left-hander struck a slightly less than full five iron. It never left the line of the pin and, after pitching 12 feet short, the ball took one bounce before trundling into the center of the hole to a huge roar from the greenside gallery. The ace was followed by a birdie four at Mickelson's next hole and a three on his 18th completed a 67 that left him at four under, safe for the weekend and in with a chance of going one better than last year, when he missed out on the title after losing a play-off to France's Gregory Harvet. There was no additional bonus for the American - unlike for Swede Pelle Edberg, who drove off in a 90,000-dollar BMW sports car on Thursday after acing the 17th hole. Mickelson could well be playing with Ernie Els in Saturday's third round after the South African also moved to four under. At four under, Els and Mickelson were four shots adrift of clubhouse leader Damien McGrane (66) and three behind overnight leader Thongchai Jaidee, who was due out late in the day on Friday. Paul Lawrie, the 1999 British Open champion, gave the home fans something to cheer by adding a second round 68 to his opening 67 to stand one shot off the lead, alongside Dane Thomas Bjorn (68). Wi, Duke share lead American Ken Duke and South Korean Charlie Wi were tied for the lead at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois on Thursday after firing matching first round scores of seven-under 64. The pair were a shot ahead of Americans Eric Axley, Garrettt Willis, Will MacKenzie and tournament favourite Kenny Perry. Creamer fires 60 American Paula Creamer birdied nine of her last 11 holes en route to a sizzling 11-under-par 60 during the opening round of the 1.3 million dollar LPGA Jamie Farr Classic on Thursday. The 60 was one shot off the LPGA Tour record set by Annika Sorenstam in the second round of the 2001 Standard Register PING on a par-72 Highland Meadows Golf Club course. Creamer holds a commanding five-shot lead over Eun-Hee Ji and Gloria Park, who each signed for a 65 during the first round. Katie Futcher is the closest of those players to the top of the leaderboard, going three-under through her first 15 holes. She is currently in a nine-way tie for ninth. Eva Dahllof and Young Kim are tied for fourth after carding a five-under 66 and three players are in a tie for sixth at four-under. Se Ri Pak carded a first-round 68.
