Miracle of Lefty continues

The epiphany of Phil Mickelson grows more miraculous by the day. From someone who toiled and laboured without reward for over a decade before finally winning his first major - at the US Masters in April, the 42nd major of his professional career - not-so-old "Lefty" has been transformed.

Yesterday, as he played the final approach shot of his second round to the 18th hole in the 104th US Open at Shinnecock Hills, the reception accorded him from the masses in the amphitheatre around the green was of one reserved from disciples for a messiah.

As if to prove his fallibility, and that not all he did was wondrous to behold, Mickelson did miss the seven-foot birdie putt. Still, what had gone before was so good, so error-free, that his second round 66 for six-under-par 134 put the 34-year-old all-American boy on course to become just the sixth player in history to win the Masters and the US Open in the one year.

In many ways, Mickelson's round - hitting 79 per cent of fairways and 83 per cent of greens in regulation - re-emphasised the makeover that has taken place in his game. Where once he drove wildly into rough, he is more likely to find the middle of the fairway. Where once he was inclined to take on risky shots with a devil-may-care attitude, he now errs on the side of conservatism. Where once a missed short putt could multiply into three or four, he doesn't tend to miss a second time any more.

On another day that confounded the meteorologists, with just the barest hint of a wind caressing the links, many players took advantage of the benign conditions. But not all, unfortunately. Padraig Harrington shot a second-round 71 for four-over-par 144 to at least survive into the weekend, albeit well down the field, but Darren Clarke's interest in the season's second major was ended prematurely. He shot a 74 for 147 to miss the cut and was already contemplating a flight home while some players had yet to tee off. "I'm pretty perturbed," remarked Clarke of his poor form.

In general, the European challenge was disastrous and, instead, the main threat to Mickelson was emerging from other quarters. Ernie Els, for one, played his way into contention with a string of four birdies from the fifth, while Shigeki Maruyama - who once upon a time shot a round of 58 in US Open qualifying - and Jeff Maggert continued to show their liking for the course and the conditions.

Fred Funk, too, was enjoying his rennaissance. After shooting a bogey-free, second-round 66 to move two shots adrift of Mickelson, Funk observed, "I didn't have any high expectations (after missing the cut in the Buick Classic last week). I was just hoping, and I am still hoping."

Another player to prove to have the patience required for playing a US Open was Retief Goosen, who also shot a 66 to move on to the same mark as Funk.

Indeed, Corey Pavin, on the return to the scene of his greatest triumph, when he won the US Open here in 1995, also stole some form from his past. "I tried to have no expectations this week, just came out trying to execute shots and play the best golf that I could.

"I wanted to have fun, enjoy myself, enjoy the crowd, and see where it put me."

Yet, of them all, Mickelson was the player who had most fun with the crowds that clambered over hillocks to see his transformation from a fall guy into a champion. Just like he did in advance of playing Augusta National in April, Mickelson paid reconnaissance visits here with his coach Rick Smith and putting guru David Pelz to work out a strategy that he would adhere to for the duration of the championship.

"I think that my preparation heading into Augusta, heading into the US Open, has been different this year. I feel that when I'm playing tournament rounds I am not having any surprises . . . I know that if I hit it over here, I'm okay, and if I hit it over there, I don't have a chance, and so forth. That's given me a lot of confidence playing the course."

In 36 holes of golf, Mickelson has been as far away from his old persona as he could possibly be. In all of the first two rounds, he has had just one bogey - at the seventh hole, his 16th - of the first round. Yesterday, he started his round with a birdie and added further birdies at the eighth, 12th and, finally, the 16th, the hole that proved to be his nemesis in 1995 when he played that particular par five in six-over-par for the four days. "I didn't even think about what happened on 16 in the past, I hadn't reminisced on it at all during the tournament," insisted Mickelson.

The difference between the new Mickelson and the old is that now he knows how to win a major, and he reaffirmed his own expectations heading into the weekend. His win at the Masters, he said, has left him with "a sense of excitement and anticipation".

I can't wait for the upcoming majors because I feel like I'm onto something to play well in the big tournaments. I look forward and can't wait for them to come."

This weekend will tell the next chapter in just how much the reformed Mickelson is under pressure.