Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Jason Day and Phil Mickelson in contention
Saturday 8 February 2020 00:03, UK
Nick Taylor produced a fast finish to retain his two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with Jason Day and Phil Mickelson in the chasing pack.
Taylor birdied four of his last five holes to post a six-under 66 at Pebble Beach, one of three course used at the event, to get to 14 under after another day of low scoring in California.
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Day carded a bogey-free 64 on the same course to jump into second ahead of defending champion Mickelson, who shot a second-round 65 at Monterey Peninsula, with Chris Baker and Charl Schwartzel a further shot back in a share of fourth.
Taylor started with a two-shot lead and briefly increased his advantage to three after making back-to-back gains from the second and holing a 12-footer at the sixth, only to slip back after ending a run of pars by failing to get up and down from a bunker at the par-three 12th.
The Canadian responded with successive birdies from the 14th and converted from 10 feet at the 17th to reclaim top spot, before extending his advantage by holing a 20-footer at the par-five last.
Day made a tap-in birdie at the third and drained a 45-footer from the fringe at the fifth, before adding another at the par-five next and holing from 12 feet to save par at the eighth.
The Australian nailed a 50-foot birdie at the 12th and pitched in for eagle at the par-five 14th, with Day continuing his hot putting by converting from 15 feet at the 16th and 25 feet at the last.
Beginning on the back nine, Mickelson birdied three of his opening five holes and recovered from a wayward tee shot and bogey at the par-four 15th to drain a long-range eagle at the par-five next.
Mickelson produced an approach-game masterclass to open his second nine with four straight birdies, all from inside six feet, only to slip three behind and drop to 11 under by bogeying his final hole.
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Dustin Johnson heads into the weekend five strokes off the pace after finishing his six-under 65 at Monterey Peninsula with a bogey at the par-three ninth, his final hole, while Matt Every is in tied-eighth and the highest of those who played Spyglass Hill following a six-under 66.
Watch the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf.
