Phil Mickelson didn't make a single par Saturday to start his third round of the Masters Tournament.

Phil Mickelson comes out of a bunker to birdie the first hole. (Chris Thelen/Staff)

Still, he gained a shot on par and moved up the leaderboard, even though things could have been better for the 2004 Masters champion.

Mickelson birdied his first three holes to move into second place but promptly bogeyed his next two holes to fall back into a tie for fourth when darkness halted play.

Mickelson, one of 36 players left on the course, declined to comment after his round.

A week after winning the BellSouth Classic in record-setting fashion, Mickelson made a move when he finally teed off at about 6:30 p.m. He birdied the first hole after hitting his tee shot into the fairway bunker, picked up another at the par-5 No. 2, and dropped a long putt for his third in a row at No. 3.

But he lipped out a par putt on No. 4 and followed that with a bogey on the fifth hole before play was halted.

If Mickelson can win today, he'll be the first golfer to win an event the week before the Masters and at Augusta National since Sandy Lyle turned the trick in 1988.

Reach John Boyette at (706) 823-3337 or john.boyette@augustachronicle.com.