Birthday boy Mickelson cards 71

San Francisco, CA – Phil Mickelson carded a 1-over 71 on Saturday at the 112th U.S. Open Championship.

Mickelson, who turned 42 on Saturday, mixed two birdies and three bogeys in his round of plus-1.

"It was a long, difficult day. It was very flattering of the fans to wish me a happy birthday," Mickelson said.

The five-time U.S. Open runner-up finished 54 holes at 8-over-par 218.

Mickelson tripped to a bogey on the second, but atoned for that mistake with a birdie at the fourth. He bogeyed the sixth for the second day in a row to slide back to 8-over.

After five straight pars, Mickelson drained a 12-footer for birdie at the 12th. He remained at 7-over until the last.

Mickelson's approach shot stopped in the rough on top of a greenside bunker. He hit a good pitch within five feet, but his par putt slid by the edge.

"I barely made the cut and my goal was to shoot under par. I had multiple chances, but I was fractionally off on the greens. I didn't make any," Mickelson said.

Mickelson will have a lot of work to do to match his tie for 10th here in 1998.