ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) — For all those runner-up finishes,with so much heartache chasing the major
he covets, Phil Mickelson hasnever had a better chance to win the U.S. Open.It’s the firsttime he has
ever had the outright lead going into the final round. Ofthe nine players within five shots, only one
has the experience ofwinning a major. And Tiger Woods went from contender tomiddle-of-the-pack by
matching his worst U.S. Open score as a pro.Despitea bogey on the final hole at Merion — the 18th was so
tough it didn’tyield a single birdie in the third round — Mickelson was the solesurvivor to par Saturday
with an even-par 70 that gave him a one-shotlead over Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker and former Masters
champion CharlSchwartzel.Mickelson celebrates his 43rd birthday Sunday — onFather’s Day, no less. He
left Merion on Monday and didn’t return untilthree hours before his tee time on Thursday so he could
attend theeighth-grade graduation of his oldest daughter."It’s got themakings to be something
special," Mickelson said. "But I still have togo out and perform, and play some of my best
golf."He has been good enough to play 54 holes in 1-under 209.Andhe was close to perfection when he
stood on the par-3 17th hole with a4-iron in his hand, 253 yards away from the orange wicker
basketattached to the pin, the signature look at Merion. He was one shotbehind Luke Donald until a pure
swing and an 8-foot birdie putt gave himthe lead."I just stood and admired it," Mickelson
said. "It wasone of the best shots I’ve ever hit. I mean, it just was right down thecenter of the
green and I was hoping it would kind of get the rightbounces. It left me a beautiful uphill putt that I
could be aggressivewith and I made it. That was fun to do that because that’s just not ahole you expect
to get one back."Four others players who had been under par late in the round couldn’t hang
on.Donaldtwice made poor swings with a 2-iron, and it cost him three shots.Mahan, Schwartzel and Justin
Rose all finished bogey-bogey.Therewas trouble everywhere at Merion, and it didn’t take much to find
it.One swing cost Ian Poulter, who drove out-of-bounds on the 15th. Onedecision cost Nicolas Colsaerts,
who tried to hit a shot under a tree onthe 18th and made triple bogey. That left Mickelson alone at the
topfor only the second time in a major — he won the 2006 Masters with thelead.The U.S. Open, however,
has been nothing but trouble for Lefty."Idon’t think I feel any more pressure than anybody else who
wants to win… the U.S. Open," Mickelson said. "This is a tournament for yearsI’ve had
opportunities, I’ve come close to, and it would mean a lottomorrow if I could play some of my best golf
— certainly if I can playthe way I have been."Saturday was more about weeding out thepretenders for
this U.S. Open — and one of them turned out to be Woods.He started out just four shots out of the lead,
and made a bending,12-foot birdie putt on the opening hole. It never got any better for theworld’s No. 1
player. He made seven bogeys the rest of the way anddidn’t add another birdie. It was the fourth time he
shot 76 in the U.S.Open, but never when he started out so close to the lead. Now, he’s 10shots
behind."It certainly is frustrating," said Woods, who hasbeen stuck on 14 majors since winning
the 2008 U.S. Open at TorreyPines. "I’m playing well enough to do it, and unfortunately just
haven’tgotten it done."The final hour might have been a sneak previewfor Sunday. At one point,
there were five players under par, andsuddenly there was only Mickelson.Donald made double bogey on
the18th hole from the middle of the fairway, trying to swing too hard on a2-iron to get up the hill and
beyond the false front of the green. Hewound up in ankle-deep rough, so gnarly that his third shot
squirtedacross the green and into more thick grass."I should have donebetter," Donald said.
"It was disappointing, but I’ll take the positivesout of today — a really solid 16 holes of golf,
and I’m only two back."Mahanlet his spectacular back nine filled with four birdies go to waste
witha bogey-bogey finish for a 69. He will be in the final group for thefirst time in a major with
Mickelson, whom he considers a close friend."It’s going to be a very, very exciting finish,"
Mahan said, "because I don’t think any lead is safe."Strickermade a 10-foot par putt on the
18th hole to complete a 70 and perhapsthe steadiest round of the day. His only mistake in a round that
lasted5½ hours under sunshine was a tee shot into the water on the par-3 ninthfor a double bogey. At 46,
Stricker can become the oldest U.S. Openchampion."I’ve got to play smart golf … not make any
mistakes,"he said. "I think that’s the biggest thing. And it’s a course whereit’s tough to
come back."Billy Horschel, tied with Mickelson atthe start of the third round, kept his emotions in
check and shot 72. Hewas two shots behind, along with Donald and RoseThe third roundfeatured so much
movement, and so many wild swings, that seven playershad a share of the lead at some point. Even though
USGA executivedirector Mike Davis said the course was set up to allow for good scores,this was more
about hanging on for dear life.There was no faking it Saturday afternoon.Thirtyplayers were separated by
only five shots at the start of the thirdround. By the end of the day, there were just 10 players
separated byfive shots, including amateur Michael Kim. He was tied for third untillosing four shots on
the last three holes.For all the talk aboutMerion being just a short course, the final two holes were
beastly — 253yards for a par 3 surrounded by deep bunkers and framed by the Scottishbroom grass, and
then a 530-yard closing hole up the hill, deep roughon both sides with bogeys or worse waiting for a
single missed shot.Stricker,remarkably, played bogey-free on the back nine. Horschel, striving
forperfection at a championship that doesn’t allow for it, dropped only oneshot."Seventeen and 18,
you’ve got to buckle up and hit goodshots," Horschel said. "So I think tomorrow, with the
pressure being on,those holes will stick out even more."Mickelson chose not tocarry a driver, and
he had to be flawless again on the long closinghole. He swung the 3-wood with confidence throughout the
back nine anddrilled another. With some 250 yards left, another fairway metal tookhim just over the
green. His chip came out some 10 feet short and hemissed the par putt to end a streak of 12 holes
without a bogey.Buthe still had the lead. It was the first time only one player remainedunder par
through 54 holes at the U.S. Open since 2007 at Oakmont, whenthere was none. Mickelson was tied for the
54-hole lead at Winged Footin 2006, where he lost a one-shot lead on the final hole by makingdouble
bogey.Of his five runner-up finishes, that one stung the most.Buthe’s back for another try to win his
national championship. Thechallenge has never been more severe — not from any player, but
fromMerion.Mickelson has one piece of history working against him. Inthe four previous U.S. Opens at
this classic course, no one with thelead going into the final round has ever gone on to win."I
lovebeing in the thick of it," Mickelson said. "I’ve had opportunities inyears past, and it
has been so fun, even though it’s been heart-breakingto come so close a number of times and let it
slide. But I feel betterequipped than I have ever felt heading into the final round of a
U.S.Open."Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.