By Martyn Herman
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (Reuters) -Former Open champion Phil Mickelson served up some of the old magic as the American veteran opened with an impressive one-under 70 at rain-hit Royal Portrush on Thursday.
The 55-year-old six-time major winner who lifted the Claret Jug at Muirfield in 2013, briefly threatened the top of the early leaderboard as he rolled back the years.
After a birdie at the par-five second hole, Mickelson then had the galleries in raptures as he holed a miraculous bunker shot for par on the third, the ball having plugged in the sand.
“That was a crazy one,” the left-handed Mickelson, whose trademark short game remains undiminished, said.
“That bunker shot that buried in the lip, and then to make it, it was obviously a lot of luck. It was crazy. I was trying to save bogey, and I got lucky and it went in. I really hit a lot of good shots today, and it wasn’t too stressful.”
Mickelson, who plays on the LIV Golf Tour, has missed five cuts in his last seven Open appearances but says he still loves the challenge thrown up by British links courses.
“I played really well, and I had an opportunity. Like I really enjoy playing these conditions and playing this tournament. It’s just a lot of fun,” he said.
Mickelson managed to miss the worst of the rain that soaked the later starters and after a couple of bogeys on the back nine he holed a 20-foot putt on the 17th to get back under par.
He missed the cut at Portrush six years ago but said the par-71 layout on the County Antrim coast is a fair test.
“It seems to be consistent with the degree of how good or bad you hit it,” he said. “Like if you hit a really good shot, it gets really rewarded.
“If you hit a really bad shot, it gets in a really bad spot, as opposed to getting away with really bad shots and get lucky. “It seems like it penalises it to the degree which it should.”
Mickelson fared better than two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington as the 53-year-old, who had the honour of hitting the first tee shot, went round in four-over 75 despite making one of the few birdies on the tough opening hole.
The Irishman said he was not surprised that the likes of Mickelson, and England’s 52-year-old Lee Westwood who carded a two-under 69, were doing well, suggesting the new age limit of 55 for exemptions for former champions, from 2024, is harsh.
“We are getting younger at that stage. The older golfers are much more capable now,” he said.
“I think I’ve been training with a physio full-time for close to 27 years now, that’s why players are extending their careers. Look at the player facilities this week. There’s ice baths and saunas and all sorts of things.
“There’s no physical barrier for me hitting shots and competing.”
(Reporting by Martyn HermanEditing by Toby Davis)
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