Phil Mickelson’s luck seems to have run out

Amy Alcott is always happy to help a fellow golfer.

So when Phil Mickelson called her a couple of years ago and asked the Hall of Famer to give him some helpful hints about the Riviera Country Club course, Alcott was happy to assist. Alcott lives in Pacific Palisades and is a member of Riviera.

The first time she and Mickelson walked the course was in 2008. Mickelson won the Northern Trust Open. Mickelson called Alcott again in 2009. She and Mickelson navigated the course again, Mickelson listening to advice Alcott gave on how to putt the greens and where there might be secret shortcuts.

Mickelson won again.

“Phil text-messaged me again this year,” Alcott said Saturday. “We played together Wednesday. We talked about the greens, we talked politics, we talked about China. We have great conversations about all kinds of things including golf.”

It doesn’t look as if Mickelson will win again. After three rounds he is tied for 19th, 10 shots behind runaway leader Steve Stricker. Alcott’s string of being Mickelson’s good-luck charm is over, but Alcott said she considers her time with Mickelson well-spent.

“We’re friends now. I love it when he calls and asks if he can hang with me. You feel good when someone like Phil tells you that you have a good eye for reading the putts.”

Argentina’s hope

Andres Romero, who was the 2008 PGA Tour rookie of the year, finished tied for third at last year’s tournament. It was his best tournament of the year and one of his two top-10 finishes.

And England’s hope

Luke Donald, who is tied for second going into Sunday, would become only the second Englishman, besides Nick Faldo in 1997, to win here.

Withdrawals

Ben Crane, who won last week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, withdrew Saturday before play of the second round resumed. So did Scott Piercy, Daniel Chopra and Stephen Ames,who were among 41 players who hadn’t finished on Friday. There were still 12 players on the course Saturday who will have to finish Round 3 Sunday morning.

Hockey caddie

Los Angeles Kings fans might recognize Ernie Els’ caddie. Dan Quinn, who played for the Kings as well as Minnesota, St. Louis, Vancouver, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Calgary during a 14-year NHL career, is on Els’ bag this week.

[email protected]