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PACIFIC PALISADES – Cameron Tringale should be easy to spot on the Riviera Country Club golf course. He’s the one who looks like he’s trying to sneak into the locker room.

The Mission Viejo native has been sporting not just dark glasses but a dark black beard to match one that could have been left behind by former Dodgers pitcher Brian Wilson. His caddie has a scraggly beard as well.

Together, they’re itching to see how the final two rounds go for them at the Genesis Open.

Tringale tied the low round of the week when he mastered a 7-under 64 for his second round Saturday. The capper was a flop-wedge chip in from 82 yards out on the 18th for a birdie.

“A poor drive to the right, lay up, then a slam dunk right in the bottom – a pretty cool way to end,” he said.

In search of his first PGA Tour win in 199 starts – he’s finished second three times – Tringale had seven birdies and no bogeys after a first round of 2-under 69.

He has made seven starts at Riviera with a tie for 12th-place his best finish in 2014.

“This is my favorite course to play every year, and to put up a score like that, I feel fortunate,” said Tringale. “A win would be special here. Any first win would be special but at this course, it would mean a lot. But there’s a long way to go.”

A REWARD

Sahith Theegala’s weekend at Riviera continues, with Phil Mickelson as a surprise guest in his party of three.

Theegala, the 19-year-old sophomore from Pepperdine out of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar High and the only amateur in the field, figured he had enough wiggle room after a first-round 4-under 67 to get away with posting a 2-over 73 in the second round. Five hours after he finished his second round, he found out he did make the cut but then was introduced to two-time Riviera winner and five-time majors champions Mickelson, plus four-time PGA Tour winner J.B. Holmes, all going out at 4:30 p.m. Saturday for round three.

All three were tied for 40th at 2-under 140 after round two. Theegala and Mickelson, the Riviera champion in 2008 and ‘09 and runner up in ‘07 and ‘12, matched the same 67-73 rounds.

Theegala and Mickelson are also even after the first four holes of their third round. They will resume today at the 14th hole at 6:50 a.m., and also play together for the final round.

Theegala was one of 65 players who had to roll in Saturday morning to regroup and finish his second round. He returned to the 12th fairway where his ball sat in the right rough, 207 yards away. He carried the green, came up short on a 50-foot putt but made the 3-foot return for par. He then exhaled, and went on his way.

A cheer went up from his family and friends when he finished the 18th hole with a 4-foot par putt to secure a 2-under position after the two rounds.

IN AND OUT

Sam Saunders, the first-round leader at 7-under 64, was 13 shots worse for the second round at 6-over 77 but, at 1-under 141, he was one shot behind Theegala and still worked his way into the final two rounds. Saunders took it almost to the end – he made the cut by sinking a long birdie putt on the 17th hole. …

Kevin Hall, the Genesis Open Charlie Sifford exemption player, ran off three birdies on an eight-hole stretch during the second round but it wasn’t enough to make the cut. Hall, a 34-year-old deaf player and former Big Ten champion from Ohio State, finished at 9-over 151.

Contact the writer: thoffarth@scng.com