Phil Mickelson figures it's best to get the gaffes out of the way early at the Masters.

It's better that your ball rolls off the 12th green and into the water on Friday instead of Sunday, when such a mistake has ended plenty of Masters dreams.

``Having that happen early was important,'' Mickelson said of the double bogey on the par-3 12th that dropped him to 5-under par after he made the turn at 8-under.

``First of all, I can recover. Second of all, I'm going to be more aware and do my best not to have that happen again.''

Mickelson learned his lesson in a hurry. He bagged three birdies after his blunder to finish with a two-round total of 8-under 136 - good for a second-place tie with Tiger Woods.

``Having the mistake happen on 12 was important to me,'' said Mickelson, who began the day at 5-under par. ``It opens my eyes to how challenging that hole can be, and I had an opportunity today to get three of those shots back.''

Mickelson got them back quickly. Knowing that the back nine at the Masters can punish aggressiveness, he kept his cool and birdied the par-5 13th to pull to 6-under. He two-putted at the 15th to get back to 7-under, then another birdie at the 16th restored the 8-under standing he carried into the back nine.

``When I make a bad swing, the next swing that I make, I'm not trying to fix the previous one,'' he said. ``I'm trying to hit a good shot. I'm always working out of the positive, as opposed to the negative of fixing bad swings. That, to me, is not a fun way to play.

``The ability to refocus on what I want to do as opposed to what I don't want to do allows me to make some birdies, even after a bad swing.''

Mickelson appeared a serious threat to challenge leader Chris DiMarco, who enters today's third round at 10 under. But after making par on the 17th, Mickelson sent his tee shot into the left bunker on the 18th. He was a bit too aggressive on his second shot, leaving the ball 15 feet right of the hole.

Mickelson saved par on his putt, and said this is as good a chance as any he's had to claim his first major. The 30-year-old has come close the past three years at the Masters; he tied for seventh last year, sixth in 1999 and 12th in '98.

Mickelson has yet to three-putt in his ninth appearance here.

``I've played two solid rounds, and I've been playing well,'' said Mickelson, who won the Buick Invitational and has four top-three finishes in nine events.

``I'm excited about having an opportunity to win this golf tournament heading into the weekend. To be tied for second and be only two shots back is a very good position to be in, and something that I would have certainly taken at the onset of the event. ... I've been playing well, the golf course sets up for me, and I feel as though I know what decisions to make and how to manage my game around Augusta National.''