Roberts gets assist from wife

Credit Kimberly Roberts with a big assist for her husband Thursday in the second round of the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship at La Costa.

Loren Roberts was 1-up on Paul Azinger when his tee shot on No. 15 flared to the right.

"It wound up hitting my wife in the back of the leg and bounding out to the fairway," Roberts said. "She took one for the team. I was wondering if this was a penalty or not."

Roberts and Azinger both shot par to halve the hole. Roberts won the 16th with a birdie, and by halving 17, he won the match 2 and 1.

Roberts, who was 2-down to Azinger after just three holes, will face Shigeki Maruyama in Friday's third round.

Maruyama the Jordan fan

Maruyama has a fixation with the No. 23, which is on his bag.

"I like Michael Jordan for many different reasons," the Japanese golfer said. "First of all, when I became a pro, I was 23. And so that is about the same time Michael Jordan became a pro and I really feel close when I hear about him and his interviews."

How big of a Jordan fan is Maruyama? "I am desperate to meet him," he said.

Maruyama has had a Jordan experience, though.

"Two years ago I went to Michael Jordan's store in Chicago. That is one of the most happiest time I have ever had. I bought my shoes and clothing, and I ate cheeseburger there, and it was delicious."

Maruyama beat Justin Leonard 4 and 2 Thursday to advance to Friday's third round against Roberts.

Maruyama said unless he wins a big tournament, it won't really matter much back in Japan "because a lot more Japanese people are interested in baseball than in golf."

Nerves prey on Freddie

Fred Couples, who beat Scott Hoch 1-up, isn't enamored with match play.

"I am afraid I can't 2-putt from 30 feet," he said. ``This is nerve-wracking stuff. I don't even know who I play tomorrow, but this stuff makes me so nervous I will be choking like a dog."

Couples will play Steve Pate, who beat former UCLA teammate Brandt Jobe 1-up on Thursday.

Phil Mickelson, who would have played Greg Norman on Friday had he not collapsed against Eduardo Romero, said he was already nervous about that third-round match.

"I can't wait until I get out on the golf course," Mickelson said. "Really, it is only those three to four hours that it is easier to relax because I am in a position to do something. It is very difficult to sleep at night, knowing who you have to play, but not knowing what you have to shoot."

Local boy Mickelson notices the changes

Mickelson, who grew up in San Diego, won the Mercedes Championships here in 1994 and 1998, the last year it was held at La Costa before moving to Hawaii.

Mickelson said he has memories of those tournaments to fall back on, but said the course is different from when he won here last year.

"It is much faster," he said. ``the fairways are rolling. I hit 6-iron into No. 12 today and I would never hit 6-iron in January. So, it is playing totally different."

Sharp Exits

Many of the players who've lost in the first and second rounds of this win-or-go-home tournament have either refused to talk to reporters or left the clubhouse through a back door.

"Because we're not used to that, it's difficult for some players to deal with," Mickelson said of the match play format.