CHARLOTTE — Phil Mickelson, spotless with his putter, surged into a two-shot lead at Friday's halfway mark of the Wells Fargo Championship by firing a five-under-par 67 at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina. The big left-hander made everything from inside 10 feet on the soft greens, making him 31-for-31 from those distances during the first 36 holes for a nine-under total of 135. Tied for second on 137 were fellow Americans Nick Watney (70) and George McNeil (68), and Australian Scott Gardiner (67), who made four birdies in a row from the sixth in bouncing back after missing his last eight cuts on the PGA Tour. Another stroke away was a group that included world No. 2 Rory McIlroy (71) of Northern Ireland, Englishman Lee Westwood, who shot a 68 despite feeling under the weather with a chest infection, and Australian Rod Pampling (69), the 10th and last alternate to join the field. Mickelson, who considers the course one of his favorite and has finished 12th or better seven times in nine appearances, took advantage of greens softened by rain and cool temperatures, including two putting surfaces resodded just seven days ago. “They're slower so we can be more aggressive, and I've made a concerted effort to give myself uphill putts which allows me to take a lot of the break out and be aggressive,” Mickelson said after the round. “On this course they have a lot of holes that are repelling, where if you miss it just a little bit it will kick the ball away. When the greens are firm and fast you have to respect that and play about 20 or 30 feet away. But with the greens softer we're able to fly it at the hole and stop it.” McIlroy, looking for his first win this season after switching his ball and clubs this year, shared in a seven-way tie for the overnight lead after a first-round 67 but fell back after a one-under 71 Friday. Mickelson praised the layout, which will host the 2017 PGA Championship, and said it would mean a lot to him to carry on to victory. Els lurks behind Kataoka South African Ernie Els continued his recovery from jet-lag to lurk just one shot off the lead behind little-known Japanese player Daisuke Kataoka after the third round of the Indonesian Masters in Jakarta Saturday. The reigning British Open champion offset a single bogey with five birdies for a four-under par 68 and a three-day total of 10-under to share the second spot with Austrian Bernd Wiesberger at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club. “My body felt good and my concentration was pretty good as well. I just try to hang in there. I hit a lot of good shots, missed a lot of putts and in the end I grinded out a 68,” Els told reporters after sinking a birdie on the last hole. “I was pretty consistent the whole day. I played well and it was one of those days where I tried to stay in the tournament. “I was trying to get to 12-under but that didn't quite happen. I'm one shot behind and I just wanted to stay in the mix which I managed to do.” Kataoka recorded eight birdies and two bogeys in a six-under-par 66 and was hopeful of bagging his first title on the Asian Tour. Thai veteran Thongchai Jaidee, who led overnight, slipped back into a tie for sixth following a disappointing round of 75 that included five bogeys. — Agencies
