Phil Mickelson is turning back the clock at the 2021 PGA Championship.
The 50-year-old, 2005 PGA Champion backed up an impressive 2-under 70 on Thursday with a 3-under 69 in Friday’s second round.
At 5-under 139, Mickelson shares the 36-hole lead with Louis Oosthuizen. The duo is a shot clear of two-time PGA Champion Brooks Koepka and two clear of 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, Branden Grace and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
Mickelson’s round started out a little bumpy on Friday. Playing the back nine first, he went out in 2-over 38 after bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18. On the front side, Mickelson quickly righted the ship, coming home in 5-under 31 thanks to five birdies.
Mickelson’s last win in a major came at the 2013 Open Championship. His last PGA Tour win was at the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His last top-10 finish in a major was a runner-up showing at the 2016 Open Championship.
We’re only halfway to the finish line, but a win by Mickelson – who will turn 51 one day before the start of the U.S. Open in June -- on Sunday would make him the oldest major champion in history.
Julius Boros currently holds that distinction. He was 48 years, 4 months and 18 days when he won the 1968 PGA Championship.
