Mickelson Drops to 19 Under, Leads NCAA Field by Nine

Phil Mickelson of Arizona State cut three more strokes off par Friday to move to a record 19-under par after three rounds of the NCAA Championships on the University of New Mexico’s Championship Course at Albuquerque.

A three-under 69 was the senior left-hander’s worst round of the tournament, which he began Wednesday with a record-tying 63.

Mickelson’s 19-under total of 197 is seven shots better than the previous NCAA 54-hole record of 12 under by John Inman of North Carolina in 1984. It is under the 72-hole record of 17 under by Inman the same year.

He has a nine-shot lead over Arizona’s Harry Rudolph, his rival since they were junior golfers in the San Diego area.

“He shoots 69 today and probably feels like he shot 80,” Rudolph said. “I’d have to shoot something like 52 (today).”

UC Irvine’s William Yanagisawa, the only Anteater to make the cut, shot a third-round 74 and is tied for 35th at 218. The sophomore was tied for fifth after the first round.

Arizona leads the team standings with 18 holes remaining, with an 844 total. All four Wildcat golfers finished under par Friday. Arizona State is second at 850, with Nevada Las Vegas third at 860. Defending champion Oklahoma State and Stanford are tied for fourth at 862.