Mickelson a Shot Back

A pair of BellSouth Classic champions are in the running for another title, with Scott McCarron tied for the lead and Phil Mickelson a shot back after Saturday’s second round at Duluth, Ga.

McCarron, who won the tournament in 1997, shot a five-under-par 67 despite a trip to the pond at No. 18. He shared the top spot with Chris DiMarco at nine-under 135 after two days on the TPC at Sugarloaf.

“It’s really one of my favorite golf courses to play,” McCarron said.

Mickelson, the defending champion, felt the same after managing a 66 during an adventurous round in which he twice bailed himself out by chipping in from the fringe of the green. He was alone in third at eight under.

“I played my front nine very well,” said Mickelson, who shot a 31 on the first nine holes. “The back nine, I was just hanging on.”

The rain-delayed tournament’s final two rounds are scheduled for today, a 36-hole marathon over one of the hilliest courses on the PGA Tour.

Dennis Paulson is at seven under with Japan’s Kaname Yokoo.

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It took Andy North and Jim Colbert a while to get going, then the defending champions rode a birdie streak to the first-round lead in the Legends of Golf senior tournament at St. Augustine, Fla.

They combined for a 13-under 59 in best-ball play, good for a three-shot lead over the team of Tommy Aaron and Don Bies.

North and Colbert made par on the first four holes, then ran off nine birdies in a row and 13 over their last 14 holes at the 7,048-yard The King and the Bear Course at the World Golf Village.