Sunday 14 February 2016 17:57, UK
Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose remained in firm contention after the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am as surprise leader Sung Kang narrowly missed out on a 59.
Mickelson fired a 66 at Monterey Peninsula although he cost himself a share of the lead with a bogey at the last, while Rose was also left to rue a late blemish in a 68 that lifted him to nine under par - two strokes off the pace.
But Kang stole much of the limelight on day two as he defied blustery conditions to smash the course record at Monterey just a day after struggling to an opening 72.
The South Korean, whose celebrity partner this week is comedian Ray Romano, started with a birdie at the 10th and covered the back nine in just 31 blows, carding four birdies and an eagle at the long 16th.
Kang picked up further shots at the second and third and reeled off three in a row from the sixth, but he failed to find the birdie he needed to break 60 when he missed the green at the ninth, although he did well to pitch to 10 feet and hole the putt for par.
Kang was joined on 11 under by Japan's Hiroshi Iwata, who scorched to the turn in 30 at Pebble Beach before losing momentum on the inward half and settling for his second consecutive 66.
Mickelson got off to a hot start with four birdies over the first five holes before he added another at the eighth, and he also would have had a 59 in his sights when he eagled the 10th to get to seven under for the round.
But he hit a wayward second at the long 12th and could only hack his ball six feet from under a bush as he ran up a disappointing six, although he got the shot back at 16 before a poor tee shot at the last cost him another bogey.
"It was a good day, I really got off to a great start it was a lot of fun," said Mickelson, who went back to his old driver after putting a new one in his bag on Thursday.
"I drove it great, the only fairways I missed was with my three-wood. I appreciate and enjoy this tournament for what it is. It's a chance to get to know people and then also to play some of the best golf courses in the world."
Mickelson shares third with Freddie Jacobson and Chez Reavie, while Rose is one shot further adrift after making excellent strides up the leaderboard with a run of three birdies in four holes from the 13th - his fourth.
The putts dried up for the Englishman on the front nine, and a birdie at the long sixth was offset by his only bogey of the day at the eighth as he closed on nine under par.
Meanwhile, world No 1 Jordan Spieth continued to struggle on the greens and missed a series of makeable birdie chances, although he did get putts to drop at the second and 17th holes while keeping a bogey off his card in an uneventful 69 at Monterey Peninsula.
"I drove the ball spectacular," said Spieth, adding that he had made adjustments after Thursday's erratic round. "I feel very, very comfortable ball-striking. I just couldn't get it in the hole."
Spieth is three under for the tournament, while Jason Day enjoyed his best round of 2016 at the same venue, the world No 2 recovering from bogeys at eight and nine with three birdies in four holes immediately after the turn.
The Australian then converted a superb second to the 16th for an eagle and picked up another shot at 17, storming home in 31 to card a 66 and move within five strokes of the lead on six under.
