NCAA GOLF : Mickelson Shoots Another 70, but He’s Two Behind

Phil Mickelson of Arizona State shot his second consecutive 70 Friday but was still two strokes behind Georgia’s Franklin Langham after three rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s golf championship.

Mickelson, who will play in the U.S. Open next week, is trying to tie Ben Crenshaw, who played for Texas, as the only three-time winner of the NCAA individual title.

Langham had a 71 for a three-round score of 212, four-under par. Arizona State’s Jim Lemon shot a 68 to move into second at 213, one ahead of Mickelson.

Dave Bishop of Texas El Paso was fourth with a 69 and 215. Warren Schutte of Nevada Las Vegas, who was tied for the first-round lead, was another stroke back after a 74.

The leading USC player is Bryan Pemberton, who had a 75 for a total of 222. James Kim of the Trojans also shot 75 and is a stroke back at 223. The leading UCLA player is Dave Solomon, who had a 75 for a total of 225.

North Carolina took the team lead, helped by 71s by Pat Moore, Tom Scherrer and John Aber. The Tar Heels had 287 as a team on the 6,865-yard Poppy Hills Golf Course.

North Carolina is three strokes in front of Oklahoma State, which dropped from first after a 294. Arizona State climbed from fifth to third with a 54-hole total of 881.

The rest of the top 10 is Wake Forest (885), Brigham Young (887), Texas El Paso (892), USC (896) and Texas, Georgia Tech and Central Florida tied at 897. UCLA is tied with Southern Methodist at 915.

The 72-hole tournament concludes today.