PINEHURST, N.C. -- At least Phil Mickelson probably wont face another close call at the U.S. Open. The six-time runner-up and zero-time champion slipped well off the pace Friday with a 73 that left him at 3 over -- 13 strokes behind record-setting leader Martin Kaymer. Its mostly because of his putter. After ditching the claw grip in favour of a more traditional one, Mickelson missed a series of putts that would have put him at least a little closer to Kaymer. "The hole looks like a thimble to me right now," Mickelson said. "Im having a hard time finding it." Now, at a tournament where everybodys seemingly playing for second, hes facing quite a climb to claw back within striking distance on a Pinehurst No. 2 course that 15 years ago was the site of the first of his many second-place finishes. Teenage playing partner Matthew Fitzpatrick called Mickelson "the master" of "getting out of trouble" and that ability certainly will be put to the test this weekend. "I feel like Im playing well enough to win the U.S. Open," Mickelson said. "Except for putting." Mickelson has been saying his putting could use some tweaking. Hes 100th among PGA Tour players in total putting this year after finishing 11th in that stat in 2013. So in an attempt to get his stroke back, he switched to a claw grip for the Open. Even after he shot even par during the first round, he said he wasnt sure how long hed stick with it. All of 18 holes, it turned out. "I felt like I identified what I was struggling with, and I thought it was my eye line had gotten well over the golf ball," Mickelson said. "So as I moved the ball away and put my eyes over the ball instead of over the top, I felt like thats how I putted last year, so I went back to my regular grip." Reverting back to the conventional grip for Round 2, Mickelson got off to an encouraging start with birdies on consecutive early holes. Then came the pesky par-3 sixth that "shook me a little bit." Mickelson plopped his tee shot onto the green, but three-putted for a four after his short par attempt hugged the lip of the cup before spinning out. Two holes later, he pushed his short putt wide left and settled for bogey -- the second straight day he bogeyed both holes. "After that," he said, "I was really fighting it." He added bogeys on two holes he birdied a day earlier -- on the par-5 10th, and on the 14th after spinning another short par putt around the lip of the cup. He ended his round by missing an 11-foot par putt on the 18th and tapping in for his fifth bogey. "Whenever you putt well and you make short ones and you make those 5-, 6-footers and youre running a couple of 20-footers in, the game feels easy," Mickelson said. "You dont put pressure on yourself to hit it close. You can hit more of the middle of the greens. Your ball striking then becomes a lot easier. Your targets are a lot bigger." Because that hasnt happened here yet, it sure looks like when Mickelson turns 44 on Monday, hell still be one victory shy of the career Grand Slam. The three-time Masters champ, 2005 PGA Championship winner and 2013 British Open champion began his run of runner-ups at this course 15 years ago when it staged its first Open. He was preparing for a playoff with the late Payne Stewart when Stewart sank a memorable 15-foot putt for par and the win -- and a statue of Stewart in that moment stands just beyond the green on 18. Mickelson led by a stroke heading into the last hole at Winged Foot in 2006 but finished with a double bogey. Last year, at Merion he led during the final round but finished two strokes behind Justin Rose. But after the way his putter struggled in Round 2, second place doesnt sound too bad. Besides, hes only seven strokes behind Brendon Todd for second. "Im not overly optimistic. Obviously Im not in good position, but more than that ... you cant fire at a lot of the pins," he said. "Youve got to make 25-, 30-footers, Im just not doing it. Im not going to give up. You just never know. Ive had rounds that kind of clicked. ... Tomorrow, I need to shoot 6- or 7-under par to have a realistic chance." Clearance Nike Shoes From China . 2015 Oscar nomination pending. Here is an open letter from Steven Stamkos to his fans: When I shot this final Moment Zero film last August, it was a fun few days on set with Coke Zero and Jordan Eberle in my hometown of Markham. Nike Shoes From China Online .com) - Nathan MacKinnon scored the winning goal in the shootout as the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. https://www.nikeshoeschina.us/ . The Spanish champions decision not to sign a defender during the January transfer window may have backfired after Valencia took advantage of a lethargic, uninspired effort by its hosts at the Camp Nou, where former Spain coach Luis Aragones -- who previously coached the Catalan side -- was honoured after his death on Saturday. Nike Shoes From China Outlet . Span, Danny Espinosa and Adam LaRoche had two hits apiece as Washington won the final two games of the series. The Nationals improved to 3-7 against Atlanta. They increased their division lead over the Braves to 1 1/2 games. Wholesale Nike Shoes From China . -- Nick Bjugstad snapped out of his scoring slump and spoiled Drew MacIntyres first NHL start.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Alex Gordon is eager for another marketing gimmick. Gordon and Salvador Perez homered, Danny Duffy pitched into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 7-4 Sunday for their seventh consecutive victory. The Royals gave out 10,000 Gordon bobbleheads for the series finale against San Francisco. Gordon, who played his college ball at Nebraska, also homered on Husker Night on Saturday. "Weve got to think of a promotion for tomorrow to keep it going," Gordon said. The big weekend is part of a nice roll for Gordon, who is batting .350 (14 for 40) with three homers and seven RBIs in his last 11 games. "Gordy is not swinging the bat well because it is Husker day or because it was bobblehead day," Yost said. "Gordy is swinging the bat well because he is seeing the ball well and putting good swings on it." The Royals, who won 10 in a row in June, have put together two winning streaks of seven or more games this season for the first time since 1985, the last time they were in the playoffs. They moved within one-half game of first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The Tigers lost 6-5 to the Toronto Blue Jays in 19 innings on Sunday. Gordon hit a two-run shot off Tim Lincecum (9-8) in a four-run first. The inning also included Billy Butlers run-producing double and Perez scoring on a wild pitch. "He was all over the board," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Lincecum. "When he threw a strike or threw an off-speed pitch it was up. He regrouped, but its tough when you get down four runs." Perez homered off Juan Gutierrez with Nori Aoki aboard in a three-run fourth. Aoki reached base four times -- two walks and two singles -- and stole three bases. Jarrod Dyson went 3 for 3 and also swiped a career-high three bases. Duffy (7-10) allowed four runs and three hits in 6 2-3 innings iin winning back-to-back starts for the first time this season.dddddddddddd He walked two in the seventh and both scored on an Andrew Susacs double. "You are really comfortable on the mound," Duffy said after the four-run first. "The offence just keeps doing their job. Its been a lot of fun to watch." Lincecum, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in 3 1-3 innings. Lincecum, who is winless since July 11, has a 10.59 ERA in his past four starts, giving up 20 runs and 28 hits in 17 innings. "You just see how far you can go to give your team a chance to fight back and get in the game," Lincecum said. Wade Davis pitched a scoreless eighth and Greg Holland worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth while picking up his American League-leading 34th save in 36 opportunities. ON DECK Giants: After an off day Monday, right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, who has won his past two starts, will pitch Tuesday against the White Sox, the only big league team he has never faced. Royals: Rookie Yordano Ventura starts the opener of a four-game series with Oakland. Ventura is 4-6 with a 3.39 ERA this season at home. TRAINING ROOM Giants: Michael Morse was a late scratch with an ingrown toenail. Gregor Blanco replaced him in left field. Royals: Luke Hochevar, who had Tommy John surgery in spring training, will begin a throwing program on Sept. 10. A GIANT MOVE The Giants recalled first baseman Adam Duvall from Triple-A Fresno. Duvall was among the Pacific Coast League leaders with 26 homers, 84 RBIs and a .596 slugging percentage at the time of the promotion. Outfielder Juan Perez was sent down to Fresno. RUNNING ROYALS The seven stolen bases were one shy of the Royals record, set on Aug. 1, 1998, against Baltimore. Aoki and Dyson are the first Royals teammates to steal three bases in the same game. ' ' '