Furyk, Mickelson set pace at damp Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH, California, Feb 10 (Reuters) Jim Furyk birdied his last three holes to set the pace with twice winner Phil Mickelson in the second round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

World number two Furyk fired a seven-under-par 65 in damp, overcast conditions at Poppy Hills Golf Club, one of three venues being used for this week's PGA Tour event.

That left him at 12-under 132 and level with Masters champion Mickelson, who carded a seven-birdie 67 at the hosting Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The expected stormy weather never materialised and Kevin Sutherland shot a best-of-the-day 63 at Spyglass Hill Golf Club to share third place at nine under with fellow American John Mallinger, who signed for a 70 at the same venue.

Tour veteran Davis Love III, another double winner here, returned a 67 at Pebble Beach to lie a further two strokes adrift in a tie for fifth, alongside Australia's Mark Hensby (68) and Craig Kanada (69).

''It was a good finish,'' a smiling Furyk told reporters after teeing off at the par-four 10th.

''I hit it to about a foot-and-a-half on seven, chipped in from 20 feet on eight and made a really good, long two-putt on nine.

''Conditions were better today because at Poppy the wind didn't kick up too much. It blew a little bit but never as hard as yesterday.

''It's always a test of patience here but it's a lot easier when you're playing well.'' CALM CONDITIONS Left-hander Mickelson, tournament champion in 1998 and 2005, was relieved after playing the most exposed of the three courses in relatively calm conditions.

''We had a pretty good day, and a pretty good draw there,'' he said after joining Furyk at the top of the leaderboard with a birdie at the par-five last.

''I probably let a few shots go in the first eight or nine holes and picked up a few in the last eight or nine that I shouldn't have.'' Sutherland, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2002 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, was elated after equalling the lowest round of his career.

''Spyglass is one of my favourite courses in the world and I think I'd rather play there every day than Pebble,'' he said after rattling up 10 birdies and a lone bogey at the par-five seventh, where he lost his ball with his second shot.

''I just love the place but 63 was not a score I was thinking about when I teed off. It's a tough golf course and I just happened to birdie some really tough holes.'' Of the other big names, eight-times major winner Tom Watson revived memories of his glory days by shooting a 68 at Pebble Beach to finish at six under, one stroke better than 2004 champion Vijay Singh, after a 66 at the same venue.

Irish world number nine Padraig Harrington had a day to forget though, bogeying three of the last four holes at Pebble Beach for a 72 to lie 14 shots off the pace.

Britain's Luke Donald, who fired a record-equalling 62 at Spyglass Hill in the opening round of last year's event, covered the same layout on Friday in 72 for a six-over total of 150.

The pro-am field play each of the three venues over the first three days before the leading 60 professionals and ties qualify for tomorrow's final round on the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

REUTERS DKS BST0745