Four top leaderboard at halfway stage - Ford Championship 2006

Phil Mickelson birdied two of the last three holes to join defending champion Tiger Woods, Scott Verplank and Colombia's Camilo Villegas in a tie for the second-round lead at the Doral Championship on Friday.

Mickelson, overhauled by Woods in a gripping last-day duel for the title 12 months ago, shot a six-under-par 66 on a calm morning at Doral's Blue Monster Course.

That left him on 13-under 131, level with world number one Woods, who mixed six birdies with a bogey for a 67, fellow American Verplank (65) and PGA Tour rookie Villegas, who birdied his last three holes for a 66.

American David Toms, winner of the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, fired a blemish-free 66 to share fifth place with compatriots Rich Beem and Mark Wilson, who carded matching 67s.

"I played well today and was able to get by the first 36 (holes) without a bogey," world number five Mickelson told reporters.

"Without the wind, the course doesn't have the normal defence, and we were able to attack and make a lot of birdies.

Left-hander Mickelson finished in style with birdies on 16, where he pitched to nine feet, and on 17, after his wedge approach ended up just three feet from the flag.

"I was finding myself having to push and push to keep pace with these guys because I could see the lead was going lower and lower," added the 35-year-old Californian, who kickstarted his round with an eagle-three at the eighth.

A stroke clear at the start of the day, 10-times major winner Woods retained his advantage by picking up shots at the 10th, his first hole, the 16th and 18th.

He also birdied one and two before stumbling with a bogey at the par-three fourth, where he was bunkered off the tee.

Despite making another birdie at the fifth, Woods had to settle for a share of the lead.

"I feel like I hit the golf ball well today, I didn't putt near as well as I did yesterday," said Woods, who is hunting his third victory of the year in five starts.

"I had a bunch of looks at some putts and didn't make very good strokes today. Everybody was making a bunch of birdies. I was somehow trying to post six under today."

Verplank, among the late starters, joined them at the top of the leaderboard after covering the back nine in five-under 31 in the breezier conditions of the afternoon. The big-hitting Villegas, in the final group of the day, also got to 13 under with his three-birdie finish.

Ernie Els, back at Doral for the first time since winning the 2002 tournament, improved on his opening 72 with a 65 to vault into contention at seven under.

Of the other big names, world number six Sergio Garcia returned a second successive 69 to finish at six-under 138, with twice U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen a shot behind after signing for a 69.

World number two Vijay Singh bogeyed the last for a 73 but qualified for the last two rounds by finishing right on the cut line of four-under 140.

Among those missing out were twice winner Steve Elkington of Australia, 2004 European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer and world number seven Jim Furyk.

Nine of the world's top 10 were in this week's field at the Blue Course, where the tournament is being held for the final time as a regular tour stop.

Next year, it will be replaced by the elite WGC-CA Championship, one of four World Golf Championships (WGC) events held during the season for the world's top 64 players.