Mickelson posts 2nd-round 69 at Safeway Open

Phil Mickelson remains in position to win his first PGA Tour event since 2013, after he posted a second straight 3-under-par 69 at the Safeway Open.

"I felt ready to go today," Mickelson told pgatour.com. "I expected, actually, a little bit better round. But I drove it a lot better, I hit a lot of good shots, and shot the same score."

Mickelson, who started his Friday round on the back nine at Silverado Resort & Spa, tossed his first birdie on the card at the par-4 12th, draining a 10-foot putt. After dropping two shots at the par-4 14th with a double-bogey, the 47-year-old strung together three consecutive birdies at Nos. 15-17 to make the turn in 2-under-par 34.

The five-time major champion trimmed another shot at the par-4 fourth, knocking his 124-yard approach to 11 feet, then holing the putt. Mickelson made his only bogey of the round at the par-3 seventh, but got the shot back with a rebound birdie at the eighth, then made a par on his final hole Friday.

"Everybody is having trouble going really low, but it's out there. Those low rounds are out there, I just got to go get one tomorrow."