SAN DIEGO — Phil Mickelson hit a drive into a eucalyptus tree that never came down. D.A. Point had a chip from 30 yards short of the flag that tumbled 20 yards over the green and into a hazard.
Ryuji Imada didn’t feel as though he played that much better Saturday in the Farmers Insurance Open. The difference was he turned trouble into pars, then finished with a bonus birdie that gave him a two-shot lead at Torrey Pines.
“The score looks pretty solid,” Imada said after his 2-under 70. “But it was a struggle out there.”
Imada avoided the problems that stalled so many other players on the South Course and wound up at 13-under 203. When his 35-foot birdie putt dropped on the 18th, he had a two-shot lead over Ben Crane and 25-year-old Michael Sim of Australia.
Imada will be going for his second PGA Tour victory, along with an invitation to the Masters.
And he surely likes his chances better than two years ago, when he finished runner-up at Torrey Pines. He started that final round 12 shots behind and finished eight shots behind Tiger Woods.
“If he was here, I’m sure he’d be 10 ahead of me,” Imada said. “No, it would be a different feel. But it’s still a good 18 holes of golf left, and hopefully, I can keep on playing the way I’ve been playing this week.”
Even without Woods around, Imada had reason to realize what kind of work was ahead of him.
Crane, who had a 69, is as scrappy as they come. He has made just three bogeys over 54 holes, and moved into contention with four birdies on his final eight holes Saturday.
“You cannot predict what’s going to happen in this game, especially on this course,” Crane said.
Sim is a rising star whose career has been slowed by back injuries, yet he showed his potential last year by winning three times on the Nationwide Tour to earn an instant promotion to the big leagues. Trouble was, there was no room for him in many tournaments.
“I’m happy to be out here now,” Sim said. “I’ve got an opportunity this week to win a golf tournament. I’d like to take full opportunity of that tomorrow.”
U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover had a 68, which included a double bogey on one of the easiest par 4s on the back nine. He was alone in fourth, three shots behind.
“Bad break, and maybe a bad decision, all on the same hole,” he said. “But all in all, pretty pleased. I got myself a little bit closer, and that was the goal today.”
Mickelson shot 70 and was in the group four shots back at 9-under 207.
Mickelson would not have predicted seeing a ball get stuck in a tree — two days in a row. On Friday, it happened in his group to Ryan Palmer. This time, it was Lefty who stared up into the eucalyptus tree, even sending a young fan up the tree to help.
“My short game kept me in it,” Mickelson said. “I didn’t hit the ball the way I’ve been hitting it coming in. I don’t feel like it’s far off. But at least I’m in a position now where a good round tomorrow can get it done.”
Casey, Dredge share Qatar lead
DOHA, Qatar — England’s Paul Casey shot a 6-under 66 for a share of the Qatar Masters lead with Wales’ Bradley Dredge. Dredge had a 70 to match Casey at 10-under 206.
Gates leads New Zealand Open
QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand — Robert Gates became the 13th player to win his Nationwide Tour debut, closing with a 2-over 74 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory.
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