The Players round three: You're gambling with our money, Mickelson

It’s plays like Phil Mickelson’s on the 10th Saturday that sum up the joys and horrors of a punter’s life following Lefty. His big gamble in cutting his fairway bunker shot through the palm trees with a 7-iron, rather than taking the safe route around the dogleg, sums him up to a ‘T’. It was so risky he didn’t dare tell his caddy what he was planning.

It worked wonderfully, keeping him in the hunt until a superb last three holes left him just a shot off the lead. But this is Mickelson the gambler playing with other gamblers’ money: when it comes off great, when it doesn’t those backing him are left to rue dented bank balances. It’s that Winged Foot moment played over.

So that’s what we have to contend with Sunday as we see a 30-time PGA winner sandwiched by Sean O’Hair, with just one win, and Jeff Quinney, whose best is a single Nationwide victory. A no-brainer right? Not if Lefty tries another of those shots; the next one could end in tears.

On pure stats Mickelson should be nowhere in sight. Risky shots aside, his flat stick has kept him in the fight and even then he barely makes it into the top 20 putters. I doubt his current game can withstand another flurry of birdies from those around him.

Is that going to happen? The great weather conditions that helped Saturday’s hot numbers - pin positions also played their part - look likely to continue. So a lot depends on pin placement: I imagine they won’t be as easy, slowing up the scoring. In that case the current leaders just need to keep their heads, especially O’Hair and Peter Lonard who are clearly mastering this course best. O’Hair, with that incredible string of birdies on the last three holes Saturday, is first for accuracy off the tee, fourth for greens in regulation, 15th for putting and 22nd for distance: a fantastic all-round performance. Lonard is not far behind, although his iron work is a little less sharp.

On the basis of the stats Quinney and Luke Donald are fortunate to be where they are, and we all know the difficulties of following great rounds such as theirs on Saturday. But sitting with Donald four shots off the pace is Jose Coceres, top for putting and fourth for accuracy off the tee. Also there are two players at last running into some decent form: Chris DiMarco and Carl Pettersson. Someone on the web has pointed out that this is the first mother’s day since the death of DiMarco’s mother. Such things can be a powerful driving force.

O’Hair is playing so well he really should win. But this is a big tournament to be leading and nerves could be his undoing.

If it does become tight at the top, it could well come down to those last three tough holes and especially who wins the game of chicken that is the 17th. If you’re talking about players who can keep their nerve, it’s the extra club in Mickelson’s bag. So please Lefty, no more threading balls through the eye of a needle.

PS: Congratulations to Lonard on his terrific albatross on the second Saturday. But I really hate the current vogue of calling it a double eagle, something clearly coined by the mathematically challenged. Since when is three under the double of two under? I can understand people not liking the ungainly albatross, but let’s at least keep it vaguely logical folks.