Early run puts Mickelson in hunt

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- The 36-hole lead in the U.S. Open might have belonged to Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell on Friday, but the afternoon belonged to Phil Mickelson.

So might the weekend.

With McDowell sitting at 3-under-par 139 after two rounds, Mickelson electrified the chilly, gray afternoon along Carmel Bay with five front-nine birdies as he charged to within two strokes of the lead entering the weekend.

He was Phil the Thrill again, particularly on the front nine when he shot 4-under-par 31 and finished with a 66 to blow away any lingering frustration from his first-round 75. He made front-nine birdies the way kids eat french fries - in handfuls.

It changed the look, feel and, perhaps, the course of this championship as he pursues his first U.S. Open trophy.

"This is so much fun. I don't want the weekend to end," Mickelson said.

Today might may feel like it won't end for Mickelson. To accommodate an 11 p.m. EDT television finish, Mickelson and the other leaders aren't scheduled to begin the third round until almost 7 p.m. EDT.

Mickelson wasn't the only familiar name to shoulder into contention. Ernie Els, who won the second of his two U.S. Opens 13 years ago, is two behind McDowell as is Dustin Johnson, who has won the past two PGA Tour events played at Pebble Beach.

Brendon de Jonge is among a group tied at even-par 142 that includes 18-year-old Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa. Tiger Woods, meanwhile, is seven shots behind McDowell. Tom Watson, 60, also made the cut in what is expected to be his final U.S. Open.

After a Thursday night chat with putting coach Dave Stockton, Mickelson made a minor set-up change - "I was contorted," he said - and he felt transformed. When he made a 3-foot birdie putt at the second hole, Mickelson knew more were coming.

"Even though it was short, I was able to see a birdie putt go in. That helped give me confidence," Mickelson said.

Mickelson strung together four straight threes on his front-nine scorecard, the best run of any player through the first two days, following through on his plan to be aggressive early. Other than missing a 4-footer at the ninth for a bogey, Mickelson made shooting 66 look simple.

"I felt I had a lot of easy pars," Mickelson said. "I just got hot with the putter."

Mickelson's family was scheduled to arrive in Pebble Beach Friday evening. It will be his wife Amy's first tournament appearance since his emotional victory at the Masters as she continues her recovery from breast cancer.

"I don't want the tournament to end," Mickelson said. "I want to keep playing."

McDowell may not be instantly familiar among American golf fans, but he's well known on the world stage. A member of the 2008 European Ryder Cup team, McDowell has won five European Tour titles, including a victory in Wales two weeks ago.

He has a game built for Open-style play, consistently finding fairways and minimizing his mistakes. McDowell has made 11 birdies in the first two rounds, more than Els and Woods combined.

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about picking up the trophy on Sunday afternoon. I think that's only natural," McDowell said. "But I'm trying to be very realistic about it as well.

"I'm probably as ready to go into the weekend of a major as I've ever been. Is this my weekend? I have no idea but I'll certainly be giving it my best shot, a hundred percent."

McDowell could have had a larger lead but three-putted the ninth green, his 18th after waiting out a delay on his finishing hole.

"There's a lot of work to do. This course is ready to bite you any second," McDowell said.

Els, playing with Woods and Lee Westwood, took advantage of the smoother putting surfaces Friday morning.

"I feel my game is very good this week, for some reason," Els said. "I've played this event where I've been very tense and other times I've been very calm. All I can say is the times I've been tense, my game wasn't quite there. This week I'm feeling all right."