20 June 2004	Sunday	01 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

SOUTHAMPTON, June 19: Phil Mickelson surged into contention for the 104th US Open on Friday, raising his hopes of becoming the sixth player to win the first two majors of the year.

The US Masters champion, exuding confidence off the tee, fired a blemish-free 66 in the second round, finishing at six-under 134 in relatively calm conditions at Shinnecock Hills.

Mickelson held the clubhouse lead for several hours before being caught late in the day by Japan's Shigeki Maruyama, who had to settle for a two-under 68 after dropping a shot at the last.

Twice champion Ernie Els, boosted by four consecutive birdies from the fifth, flirted with the lead before slipping back into a tie for sixth at three-under 137 with a 67.

World number one Tiger Woods, once again errant off the tee, battled for his first 13 holes before birdies at five and six lifted him to a 69, and a share of 17th at one over.

After completing a first-round 68 earlier in the day, Mickelson, who ended a 14-year wait for a first major victory at the Masters in April, continually smiled at the huge galleries as he reeled off birdies at the first, eighth, 12th and 16th.

The American had been among 57 players with unfinished opening rounds on Thursday due to early evening fog.

Should Mickelson triumph on Sunday, he would join Craig Wood, in 1941, Ben Hogan, in 1951 and 1953, Arnold Palmer, in 1960, Jack Nicklaus, in 1972, and Tiger Woods, in 2002, as the only players who have won the first two major championships of the year.

Although unable to convert several other birdie chances, the 34-year-old Californian ended the day at the top of the leaderboard with Maruyama, one ahead of American Jeff Maggert.

Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who produced a roller-coaster 71 featuring an eagle-three at the fifth and a double-bogey at the par-four 18th, was tied for sixth with Els.

The big-hitting Cordoba professional had earlier held the outright lead at five under after eight holes, but he stumbled around the turn and Mickelson forged ahead.

Twice major winner Vijay Singh returned a 70 to finish at two-under 138, level with Corey Pavin, US Open champion in 1995 when Shinnecock last staged the event. The 44-year-old Pavin followed his opening 67 with a 71.

Woods, who has not won a major since the 2002 US Open at nearby Bethpage Black, dropped a shot at his opening hole, the par-four 10th, after pushing his drive into thick rough.

He then parred the next five holes before missing a four-foot birdie putt at the 540-yard 16th, and was fortunate to save par at the 18th where he struck the flagstick with his third shot out of the rough.

Birdies at the fifth and sixth, however, salvaged his round and he made a good up and down from short of the green at the last to stay within seven strokes of the lead.

Second round scores (a-denotes amateur):

134 - Phil Mickelson (US) 68, 66; Shigeki Maruyama (Japan) 66, 68.

135 - Jeff Maggert (US) 68, 67.

136 - Fred Funk (US) 70, 66; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 70, 66.

137 - Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 66, 71; Ernie Els (South Africa) 70, 67.

138 - Vijay Singh (Fiji) 68, 70; Corey Pavin (US) 67, 71.

139 - Mike Weir (Canada) 69, 70; Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 69, 70.

140 - Stephen Ames (Canada) 74, 66; Pat Perez (US) 73, 67; Billy Mayfair (US) 70, 70; Sergio Garcia (Spain) 72, 68; Jay Haas (US) 66, 74; Kevin Stadler (US) 68, 72.

141 - Kirk Triplett (US) 71, 70; Tim Herron (US) 75, 66; David Roesch (US) 68, 73; Daniel Chopra (Sweden) 73, 68; Tiger Woods (US) 72, 69.

142 - a-Spencer Levin (US) 69, 73; Lee Janzen (US) 72, 70; Steve Flesch (US) 68, 74; Stephen Leaney (Australia) 72, 70; Scott Verplank (US) 71, 71; Bo Van Pelt (US) 69, 73; Mark Calcavecchia (US) 71, 71; Kris Cox (US) 68, 74; a-Casey Wittenberg (US) 71, 71; Robert Allenby (Australia) 70, 72; Chris DiMarco (US) 71, 71.

143 - Chris Riley (US) 72, 71; Zach Johnson (US) 70, 73; Joe Ogilvie (US) 70, 73; Tim Clark (South Africa) 73, 70; Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 73, 70; Craig Parry (Australia) 70, 73; Joakim Haeggman (Sweden) 74, 69; Phillip Price (Britain) 70, 73; Tom Kite (US) 72, 71; Ben Curtis (US) 68, 75; Shaun Micheel (US) 71, 72; Skip Kendall (US) 68, 75.

144 - K.J. Choi (South Korea) 76, 68; John Rollins (US) 76, 68; Geoffrey Sisk (US) 72, 72; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 73, 71; J.J. Henry (US) 75, 69; Spike McRoy (US) 72, 72; Dudley Hart (US) 71, 73; Peter Lonard (Australia) 71, 73; Lee Westwood (Britain) 73, 71; Hidemichi Tanaka (Japan) 70, 74; Jim Furyk (US) 72, 72; Tim Petrovic (US) 69, 75.

145 - David Toms (US) 73, 72; a-Bill Haas (US) 72, 73; Tom Carter (US) 74, 71; Jerry Kelly (US) 76, 69; a-Chez Reavie (US) 73, 72; Charles Howell III (US) 75, 70; Alex Cejka (Germany) 75, 70; Joe Ogilvie (US) 70, 75; Scott Hoch (US) 75, 70; Cliff Kresge (US) 72, 73.-Reuters