4, 3, 2, 1 ... tied

Posted by Mike Whitmer, Globe Staff September 27, 2009 03:19 PM

Kenny Perry started with a two-shot lead, doubled it two holes into his final round, and now has lost it all. But instead of being tied with Tiger Woods, as most would expect, he's joined at 7 under by Phil Mickelson, who just birdied the eighth hole -- nearly making an eagle -- to tie for the lead. Woods, Sean O'Hair, and Steve Marino are tied for third, two shots back.

For Mickelson, it's been an uphill battle from the first day, when he made a quadruple bogey and was seven shots off the lead on Thursday night. His deficit was five shots after two rounds, and four shots after three. Now, after three final-round birdies over his first eight holes, he's tied for the lead.

Perry is fortunate to still be tied. He's saved par on the last two holes (Nos. 6 and 7) with long par putts, making an 8-footer on the par-3 sixth, and a 14-footer on No. 7. After putting for birdie on the first two holes -- holing a 29-footer on No. 2 -- Perry has missed the last five greens.

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