GOLF / TUCSON OPEN : Mickelson Gets a Tie for Lead

Phil Mickelson, who won the tournament as an amateur two years ago, moved into a tie for the 36-hole lead Friday at the Northern Telecom Open.

Mickelson, who turned pro last year, shot a seven-under-par 65 at Tucson National and reached the halfway point at 12-under 132.

He was tied with Dudley Hart, who shot 66 at Starr Pass under the format that has the 156 pros playing one round on each of two desert courses before the final two rounds at Tucson National.

Larry Mize, whose last victory came in the 1987 Masters, missed only one green in a 66 at Tucson National that left him third alone at 134, two off the pace.

Ed Dougherty, Gregg Twiggs and Scott Gump were next at 135. Dougherty shot 66 and Gump 68 at Tucson National. Twiggs’ 67 came at Starr Pass.

Billy Andrade, the first-round leader with a 63 at Starr Pass, went 10 shots higher at Tucson National and finished 36 holes at 136.

Curtis Strange, a non-winner since his second consecutive U.S. Open victory in 1989, had a 66 at Tucson National and was five off the pace at 137.

Mickelson, 22, making his first start of the season, had seven birdies, an eagle and two bogeys.

The left-hander, who won the U.S. Amateur and three NCAA championships as an undergraduate at Arizona State, won this title as an amateur in 1991.

Mickelson turned pro at the U.S. Open last summer and won $171,713 in 11 starts. His best finish was runner-up in the New England Classic.

“It was a very hectic year,” he said. “I’m glad to have had a break. And now I’ve cleared a lot of things out of the way--which companies I’m going to represent, things like that--and now I can just concentrate on playing golf.”

Hart held the lead through three rounds in this tournament last year, then drifted back to fourth.

“I didn’t embarrass myself,” he said. “It was the first time I’d been in that position and I hung in there. I’ve been in that position a few times since, and I have a lot more experience at being in that position than I did a year ago.”