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Weather conditions deteriorated throughout the
day as rain and wind set in and play was suspended before a
handful of players could finish their rounds, which had begun an
hour earlier than scheduled to avoid the worst of the storm.
Mickelson, Lucas Glover, Scott Langley and Paul Casey all sat
10-under par alongside Jordan Spieth, who was on 16 when play
was called for the day.
After an opening round where he did not miss a fairway for the
first time in two decades, Mickelson struggled with his accuracy
off the tee on Friday and had consecutive bogeys on holes six,
seven and eight.
"I didn't drive it like I did yesterday," the 48-year-old lefty
said.
"Here you've got to be in the fairway and I was fractionally off
on a couple of holes. Both par fives in the front and that ended
up costing me probably three shots if I hit those fairways."
But Mickelson's solid putting bailed him out and he credited his
familiarity with the course's tricky poa annua greens for his
success at the tournament, where he is a four-time champion.
"I grew up in California and I'm used to the poa greens," he
said.
"I think that's a big adjustment for a lot of guys, seeing how
the ball rolls on that particular grass and adjusting to the
soft conditions.
"But growing up here you get used to it and figure it out."
Englishman Casey had the best round of the leaders on Friday,
firing five birdies and an eagle en route to a bogey-free round
of 64 at Monterey Peninsula, the easiest of the three courses
used during the tournament.
Wet and chilly conditions are expected to return on Saturday,
when the first players will go out at 0710 local time.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Christian
Radnedge)
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