Fort Worth, Texas ? Phil Mickelson was already frustrated by his slow start in the third round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational. Then he finally saw a scoreboard.

“I walk up to the sixth tee and I see I’m three or four shots back. That was kind of rude awakening,” Mickelson said Saturday.

‘Lefty’ responded by hitting a perfect drive at the 394-yard 6th and then his approach to 5 feet. That was the first of his seven birdies over the closing stretch for a 5-under 65 Saturday that kept him alone in the lead at Colonial at 12-under 198.

When he made a 17-foot birdie from the front edge of the closing hole, after the others had finished playing, Mickelson took a one-stroke lead over Rod Pampling (63) and Stephen Ames (64).

Ames had three birdies in the first four holes and finished without a bogey. Pampling was 5 under through seven holes.

Mickelson for the 27th time takes a lead into the final round. He has gone on to win 19 times, including the Northern Trust Open in February, his only win this season.

The last six Colonial champions led or were tied for the lead after 54 holes. The last time that didn’t happen was 2001, when then-defending champion Mickelson and Brett Quigley were tied going into the final round before Sergio Garcia won. Tim Clark (64) was alone in fourth, three strokes back. Ben Crane (67), Kevin Sutherland (68) and Brian Gay (69) were at 203.