Ace moves Mickelson closer to leader Cabrera in Scottish Open

7/12/2008

Phil Mickelson had a hole-in-one at the Barclays Scottish Open on Friday to make the cut and go into the weekend five strokes behind leader Angel Cabrera.

After missing a succession of makable putts, Mickelson's 5-iron at his 14th hole, the 190-yard fifth, headed straight for the pin, landed 12 feet short, bounced once and rolled into the hole.

Mickelson shot a 4-under-par 67 for the day and picked up one stroke on Cabrera, who had a 68 for a 9-under 133.

Mickelson finished his round with a birdie at the par-5 sixth hole -- just missing an eagle -- and also at No. 9 from 12 feet. At 4-under 138, he was two inside the 36-hole cutoff.

After 13 holes of his second round, Mickelson, the world No. 2 and 2007 Scottish Open runner-up, was level par and outside the predicted cut mark. Then came the ace.

Cabrera led by one over Damien McGrane of Ireland, who shot 66. A group of five was two shots back, including overnight leader Thongchai Jaidee, former Open champion Paul Lawrie and Thomas Bjorn, who won this event when it was first played at Loch Loomed in 1996. Simon Khan and Richard Green were also two back.

Ernie Els also made progress, his seven birdies masking two bogeys and a weak finish in a 66.

Els, like Mickelson, started at the 10th.

Leaderboard – Round 2:

1. Angel Cabrera               ARG  65 68 133 - 9
2. Damien McGrane            IRL  68 66 134 - 8
3. Thomas Björn                DEN  67 68 135 - 7
    Paul Lawrie                   SCO  68 67 135 - 7
    Simon Khan                   ENG  69 66 135 - 7
    Richard Green                AUS  67 68 135 - 7
    Thongchai Jaidee           THA  64 71 135 - 7
8. Robert Dinwiddie             ENG  68 68 136 - 6
    Matthew Millar                AUS  72 64 136 - 6
    Henrik Stenson              SWE  67 69 136 - 6
    Lee Westwood                ENG  67 69 136 - 6
    David Lynn                     ENG  69 67 136 - 6

Source: AP, European Tour