Fansided

“Exhausted” Phil Mickelson just two back in California

By David Salituro

NAPA, CA - OCTOBER 04: Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the 15th tee during round one of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spa on October 4, 2018 in Napa, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
NAPA, CA - OCTOBER 04: Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the 15th tee during round one of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spa on October 4, 2018 in Napa, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /
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Phil Mickelson, fresh off the Ryder Cup in Paris on the weekend, shot seven-under 65 in the first round of the Safeway Open on Thursday and sits just two off the lead.

Napa, California is more than 5,500 miles from Paris. Somewhere along the way, Phil Mickelson rediscovered his golf game.

Mickelson, who made the long trip for the Safeway Open after competing in the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on the weekend, started the tournament with a seven-under round of 65. He is two shots off the lead held by Sepp Straka.

Mickelson had a Ryder Cup to forget. He lost his only foursomes match, then conceded the cup-clinching point to Francesco Molinari in singles on Sunday. The only Ryder Cup player in the field at Silverado Country Club this week, Mickelson told Golf Channel’s George Savaricas he was “absolutely exhausted” on Wednesday.

Despite a strong record at this event, including a third place finish last year, Mickelson didn’t like his chances this week. He told one fan on Wednesday that he wouldn’t bet on himself to win. Then, while warming up for Thursday’s first round, he had what he admits was a terrible practice session.

“I had one of the worst warmup sessions I’ve had in years,” he said after his round. “I was hitting it terrible. I was hitting the driving range fence both left and right, I mean it was awful.”

Something clicked for Mickelson after teeing off, however. One-under on his round thru eight holes, he ran off a stretch of six straight birdies beginning on the ninth. Unlike in Paris, Mickelson’s putter was working for him today as he holed an 18-foot birdie at 10 and a 47-footer for birdie at the 13th.

“I’m putting well, and I made some good, solid putts today. Gosh, it was a fun round,” he said.

Straka, a 25-year-old Austrian making his first career PGA Tour start, shot a bogey-free round of nine-under 63 to take the lead at the 2018-19 season’s opening event. Chase Wright, another rookie who’s making just his second start, is one shot back in second place.

Two-time defending champion Brendan Steele is in 12th, four shots back, while former Oakland Athletics All-Star pitcher Mark Mulder, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, shot three-over.

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