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Mickelson takes lead after shooting 61

Phil Mickelson fired a nine-under 61 Saturday to grab a one-shot lead over David Berganio at 14-under-par 196 after 54 holes of the Greater Hartford Open.

Mickelson's 61 matched the 18-hole tournament record set by Kirk Triplett last year. The score was also a career-low for Mickelson, who shot his previous best of 63 eight times, most recently in the fourth round of the 2000 Colonial.

"It was a very nice day," said Mickelson, who despite being near the lead in the final round several times in 2001, has visited the winner's circle only once. "I played very well, obviously."

Berganio posted a 64 to get to 13-under. Chris DiMarco, who was part of a record-tying eight-way tie at the top of the leaderboard after the second round, birdied his last two holes to score a 68 and is alone in third at minus-12.

Mickelson began the third round three shots out of the lead and saved par at the first after he drove in the left rough and holed a 12-footer.

He first broke into red figures at the third when he hit a pitching wedge eight feet behind the hole to set up a birdie. Mickelson added a birdie three holes later after he roped a two-iron into a greenside bunker at the par- five hole, blasted out to 20 feet and drained the putt.

At eight, Mickelson hit a solid seven-iron that landed 25 feet from the hole, then converted the long birdie putt for a front-nine 32.

After making a six-foot birdie putt at the 12th, Mickelson was left with 260 yards in to the par-five 13th. Because of a stiff wind in his face, Mickelson decided to hit a three-wood right of the green, where he felt he could chip down and make birdie.

But the wind suddenly died down and Mickelson stepped away from his shot. He decided to go right at the pin and he smoked his three-wood to 10 feet and holed the putt for eagle.

"I felt after eagling 13 that I could really go low," said the 31-year- old lefthander.

Mickelson nearly drove the green at the short par-four 15th but instead found a greenside bunker. He blasted out to six feet for birdie, then followed with another, this time from 30 feet, at the par-three 16th.

At the closing hole, Mickelson spun a lob-wedge shot back to six feet to set up his final birdie and match the course record.

Mickelson earned his 18th PGA Tour title at the Buick Classic in February but has since faded in the final rounds of several winnable tournaments. He was in contention on the final day at the Masters, Compaq Classic, Colonial and U.S. Open but failed to secure victories in any of those tournaments.

"The last hurdle has been my mental approach," said Mickelson, who coming into this year had a 9-0 record with the 54-hole lead. "I've spent a lot of time on my game, but I haven't spent the time and effort mentally preparing for events like I have in the past."

Berganio birdied three straight on the front nine but dropped a shot at 11. He rebounded with four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back to get within one of Mickelson.

"Phil's not going to worry about me, and I'm not worried about him. He knows Tiger Woods isn't out there chasing him," said Berganio. "The course is right in front of you. There's no tricks. What you see is what you get."

Billy Andrade is in sole possession of fourth after a third-round 66.

Tim Herron and Jerry Kelly, another co-leader after Friday's round, are tied for fifth at nine-under 201.

Tom Pernice, Jr. (66), Frank Lickliter (68) and a pair of second-round co- leaders, Joe Ogilvie (70) and Scott Simpson (70), are knotted in seventh place at minus-eight.

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