Phil Mickelson opened Thursday and didn’t make a bogey on his first nine holes.
The 2013 Open Champion hit a tee shot into a 167-yard par-3-hole greenside bunker. After leaving the second shot there, he drilled the hole for the third time.
This was part of Royal Portrush’s bogey-free front nine 34, including a par 5 second and par 5 birdie. The 55-year-old was tied to an early lead at 2 under when he made a turn.
He quickly dropped the leaderboard at Bogeys at No. 11 and 14, but returned to his red figure on the par 4 17th on the 20-foot birdie.
Mickelson posted a 1-under 71 and was tied to 10th place when he signed the card. It was his first underper round at his first opening since Carnoustie in 2018.
Mickelson missed a cut in five of his last seven open starts since running for Henrik Stenson in Royal Toon in 2016. Mickelson’s Open Triumph appeared at Muirfield 12 years ago.
