Fearless Rory McIlroy steps up challenge as Phil Mickelson keeps Woods in shade

The rivalry between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods is a long and not particularly friendly one. Which is why Mickelson, despite what he says, will have taken pleasure in stealing the world No 1’s thunder after two rounds here at the WGC-CA Championship.
One has the express aim of taking the course apart, and is doing so, while the other is doing everything in his power to restore a respectability to what has so far proved a disappointing return to strokeplay competition after eight months sidelined through injury.
It would be fair to say that Mickelson failed to take advantage while the Big Cat was away. Yet after a barren nine months, he rediscovered his winning touch at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles three weeks ago and has looked in fine fettle over the inaptly named Blue Monster course at Doral. After opening rounds of 65 and 66, the world No 3 has moved to 13 under par and holds a lead of two shots over Nick Watney and three over Rory McIlroy and Kenny Perry. Woods had a 70 and is ten shots back.
McIlroy, meanwhile, is continuing to amaze. The 19-year-old Northern Irishman dropped a couple of shots in his round of 66, but they paled into insignificance alongside six birdies and an eagle, the latter courtesy of a 268-yard shot across water to within seven feet of the hole at the par-five 8th, his seventeenth.It was a shot of pure brilliance, one that stunned and delighted in equal measure and that matched another at the fearsome 18th, a 200-yard approach shot to the green that set up the only birdie registered on the hole all day. Even McIlroy was impressed.
“They were two of the best shots I’ve ever hit, to be honest,” he said. He has been playing in the States for only three weeks and is living up to his billing in every way.
In Los Angeles last month, Mickelson was forced to dig deep for his one-stroke win over Steve Stricker after throwing away a five-shot lead in the final round. But he did what all the great champions manage to do: to win ugly. When Woods does it, he gets praised and yet Mickelson attracts the opposite reaction.
His performance in Miami, however, has been anything but ugly. He has gone all out with his drives, confident that he has ironed out a tendency to spray the ball left and right — but also in the knowledge that the rough here is virtually non-existent — and has given a masterclass in the art of the short game. He chipped in three times during the first round and did so yesterday at the 7th, his sixteenth. His round included seven birdies and only one bogey.
On the subject of Woods’s travails, Mickelson said all the right things. “It kind of sucks \,” he said. “I came close in ’05 and got beat and I would love the opportunity to play head to head.” Get him when he is down, in other words. “We cannot wait for him to get back on top of his game. Then, hopefully, we will be able to keep pace with him.”
Padraig Harrington, hoping to find some form in the build-up to the Masters, where he will attempt to win his third major championship in succession, had a mixed bag in a round of 71. Starting at the 10th, he opened with an eagle, had picked up four shots within five holes and shared the lead on ten under par. He picked up two more birdies, but with three bogeys and a double bogey on his card, he ended the day six shots off the pace.
There were good rounds for Ian Poulter, whose 67 moved him to eight under par, and Paul Casey, who lies a shot farther back after a 66.
Source:the times