Phil, Perez Eye Hometown Victory

January 28, 2017

By Julia Pine

SAN DIEGO - A golf tournament is long, and no one understands that better than Phil Mickelson.

After barely making the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, the San Diego native still had his eye on the prize.

"Even though I'm very close to the cut line, I'm only seven shots off the lead on a golf course where you can make up a lot of ground, said Mickelson on Friday. "I might have a chance tomorrow to get off to a hot start and get in it for Sunday."

Get hot he did, as the veteran and three-time event champion put together his best round of the week, a 4-under 69 that catapulted him up to T18 on the leaderboard, but more importantly, just 4 strokes off the lead heading into Sunday action.

"It was a good round today," said Mickelson. "There's no better place to play golf than Torrey Pines in weather like this. Looking out at the ocean, the views, it's just spectacular. I played the back really solidly."

Mickelson got off to an OK start, playing his front nine (the South Course's back) in 1-under par. He got hot down the stretch, though, playing his final nine holes in 3-under par.

"Fortunately I'm within striking distance if I can get hot, but there's a lot of people between me and the lead, which means I've got to make birdies to go get them. If I can shoot something 65, 66, you never know, it might be enough."

For Mickelson, another title here at Torrey Pines would be his fourth, but it's fellow San Diego native Pat Perez who is looking to taste victory at his local PGA TOUR event for the first time. Matching co-leader Patrick Rodgers and Tony Finau for the low round of the day, Perez jumped 30 spots up the leaderboard Saturday, turning in a 5-under par 67 to sit T5 and just two off the lead.

"It was awesome out there today," said Perez. "It was warmer, the wind was down, and everything was in great shape. I hit some good shots, made a couple putts."

For Perez, there would be nothing quite like winning on TOUR here at Torrey. He has two PGA TOUR wins under his belt, but the Farmers Insurance Open would be extra special.

"Early in my career, there was extra pressure to win here," said Perez. "I've kind of put that aside now. I try to play well every week. But obviously I would love to play well here."

Another Southern California native in the hunt is J.J. Spaun of Los Angeles, who has put together back-to-back rounds in the 60s to leave himself just three behind the leaders.

""I feel really good about how I played," said Spaun. "I was kind of just having fun out there. You know, made some putts, missed some putts, and it just kind of tallied up to a 3 under, which is a pretty tidy score out here."

Spaun, who is still just 26 years old and looking for his first PGA TOUR win, is a graduate of San Diego State, making this event even more special.

"The Aztec Foundation is out here, and the support from the alumni, it's really incredible and hopefully I get something going tomorrow."

The final round gets underway Sunday morning at 8:15 a.m.