2013 Golf: Phil Mickelson Shoots Even Par in first Round of Houston Open

Phil Mickelson’s golf game has been a thing of mystery for the biggest part of the 2013 PGA Tour season, and the unknown continued on Thursday morning as Mickelson shot an even par 72 in the first round of The Shell Houston Open. Lefty started his day on the back nine, had it going early, but gave everything away on his way in.

Mickelson got it going right out of the gate with a birdie at the first hole, and with birdies again at the 13th, and 15th holes, made the turn at 33, with a position on the first page of the leaderboard . He picked another birdie up at the par 5 fourth hole, and got it to -4 under par before the wheels came off. He made double bogey six at the fifth hole,and bogeys at six and nine before ending his day just as he had started it, Even par.

Phil missed the cut last week at Bay Hill, and has not had a score in the sixties since the third round at Doral where he made 69. He shot 71 on Sunday, and finished tied for third place. His season has been a lesson in feast of famine. He followed a tie for 51st place at Torrey Pines with a victory in Phoenix. He followed that with a tie for 60th place at Pebble Beach, a tournament he won in 2012.

One can only hope, with two weeks until they tee it up at Augusta, that will be the week for the good Phil to appear. He will make the trip to the Masters in search of his fourth Green Jacket.

Follow me on Twitter @Spin_47