THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD:
-16 P Mickelson (US) -12 A Romero (Arg)
-11 F Couples (US), R Sabbatini (SA), KJ Choi (Kor), S McCarron (US)
-10 M Calcavecchia (US), D Johnson (US), S Stricker (US)
Selected others:-9 L Donald (Eng) -7 B Davis (Eng) -6 G McDowell (NIre)

Mickelson has carded rounds of 63, 72, 62 at Riviera this week

Phil Mickelson surged back into the lead of the Northern Trust Open with a third-round 62 at the Riviera club.

The world number five climbed to 16 under to lead Argentine Andres Romero (65) by four shots.

American veteran Fred Couples carded 65 to reach 11 under alongside South African Rory Sabbatini, South Korea's KJ Choi and Scot McCarron.

England's Luke Donald fired a second 69 for nine under, while countryman Brian Davis reached seven under after a 68.

Left-hander Mickelson, 38, was three off the pace overnight after a disappointing 72 following his first-round 63.

But he birdied four of the last five holes to get his title defence back on track in Los Angeles.

He began the day with a 12-foot putt for eagle at the par-five 1st and added seven birdies in a spectacular round, though on a day ideal for scoring as many as five players shared the lead at one point.

Mickelson and Couples duelled for the lead midway through the back nine before the 49-year-old bogeyed the 15th after his drive hit a sprinkler head and found a poor lie in the rough.

Three-time major champion Mickelson took advantage and made four birdies from the 14th, narrowly missing a fifth when his 10-foot putt slid past on 18.

"I hope the weather stays good, I want to get out and play with the same feelings and thoughts," said Mickelson, who is chasing a 35th PGA Tour title.

"I haven't been in contention for the first three events and it's frustrating. I need more of these heading into Augusta," he added, referring to the 9-12 April Masters, the opening major of the year.

Mickelson missed the cut in his first start at the Phoenix Open before finishing 42nd at the Buick Invitational and 55th at last week's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

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