DORAL, Fla. — Phil Mickelson learned a little about Nick Watney during his trips to Las Vegas in the offseason while working with Butch Harmon, the swing coach for both of them.

He got to know Watney a lot better yesterday in the CA Championship and was even more impressed.

Watney overcame a two-shot deficit with three straight birdies early in the third round and had three strong par saves on the back nine for a 5-under 67. Mickelson answered with three straight birdies late in the afternoon during a splendid display of driving and irons and shot 69. They wound up tied for the lead at Doral.

Even though Mickelson longed for another duel with Tiger Woods, he realizes he still has his hands full with Watney.

"There's really not any weaknesses in his game," Mickelson said. "He's already won this year and played tough down the stretch in that win, and he's a tough competitor."

They were at 16-under 200, four shots clear of anyone else.

Watney, who birdied two of his last three holes to win at Torrey Pines last month, ended his streak of bogey-free golf on the Blue Monster after 46 holes and still has made only one in the tournament.

"I just wanted to go out there today and really get into my round and not worry too much about the scoreboard or playing against Phil directly," Watney said. "So I'm pleased with the way I handled it."

In his first stroke-play event since winning the U.S. Open in June a week before knee surgery, Woods was thrilled with how he hit the ball, disgusted with how he putted. He managed only a 68 and was nine shots behind.

"The best I've hit it in a long time," Woods said. "Granted, I haven't played in a long time, but still."

CHAMPIONS TOUR

SINDELAR LEADS AT&T

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Joey Sindelar moved a step closer to his first Champions Tour victory, shooting a 2-under 70 to take a one-stroke lead over Don Pooley in the AT&T Champions Classic.

The 50-year-old Sindelar, winless in 22 starts on the Champions Tour after winning seven times on the PGA Tour, had a 10-under 134 total on the Valencia Country Club course. After shooting a 63 on Sunday to tie for second in the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach, he opened with a 64 on Friday.

"I'm pretty comfortable out there," Sindelar said. "I'm not trying to ignore it. I'll be excited on the first tee (today) and in four hours I'll know the result. I'm looking forward to it."

Sindelar stretched his bogey-free streak to 42 holes before dropping a stroke on the par-4 fifth. He also bogeyed Nos. 8 and 10, but played the final seven holes in 4 under to top the leaderboard for the second straight day.

Pooley shot a bogey-free 65, the best round of the day.

NATIONWIDE TOUR

PILLER TOPS NEW ZEALAND

QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand — American Martin Piller shot a 4-under 68 to top the crowded third-round leaderboard in the New Zealand Open.

Piller, the 23-year-old former Texas A&M player in his first season on the Nationwide Tour, had a 12-under 204 total on The Hills course.

New Zealand's Grant Waite (66) and Josh Geary (68) were a stroke back along with American Alex Prugh (69), Australia's Jason Norris (71) and Norway's Henrik Bjornstad (68) in the event sanctioned by the Australasian and Nationwide tours.