Golf

Solid first day of Open for Lefty

PINEHURST, NC — How relaxed was Phil Mickelson on Thursday morning in the moments before he was to begin his quest to complete the rare and coveted career Grand Slam by winning this week’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2?

So relaxed that, as he walked to the 10th tee for his 7:51 a.m. opening-round starting time, Mickelson spotted a reporter and struck up a conversation as if it were a casual Monday practice round.

“Have you ever played Tobacco Road?’’ Mickelson asked, referring to a particularly dramatic and fun public golf course in the Pinehurst area. “I’d love to play there. I always liked Mike Strantz [the late designer].’’

With that, Mickelson was off to tackle Pinehurst — as well as his lofty expectations of winning a first career U.S. Open after a record six runner-up finishes.

Though he did not post a super-low number, Mickelson was dialed in for much of his round, finishing with an even-par 70 to place himself right where he wants to be through one round — in the thick of contention.

He’ll begin Friday’s second round five shots out of the lead held by Martin Kaymer, who shot a scalding 5-under-par 65.

Mickelson, too, will wake up Friday morning feeling somewhat exonerated following a New York Times back-track on the story it published last week about an alleged FBI probe of the golfer and his possible involvement in insider trading, related to a purchase of Clorox stock.

According to the latest report, no evidence was found Mickelson was involved in questionable stock trading in Clorox shares.

“I’ll continue to say I haven’t done anything wrong,” Mickelson said. “I’m willing to help out, [I would] love to help out any way on the investigation. I do have a lot to say and I will say it at the right time. … I just can’t say it right now.’’

Mickelson instead spoke with his clubs in a tournament at which no one faces a fraction of the pressure he does.

His strategy to hit driver often worked out well, as he hit every fairway he hit driver to. Overall, he hit 9-of-14 fairways and 13-of-18 greens. His strategy to use the claw putting grip remains somewhat in question, however, because it was his putting that prevented Mickelson from shooting 2- or 3-under par.

He left a shot or three out on the course, carding bogeys on two of his final four holes — the results of a three-putt on No. 6 and a hooked 3-wood into the trees off the eighth tee.

The fact the conditions on Thursday morning — cloud cover, no wind and the greens a little moist — were as good as the scoring conditions likely will be all tournament, left him quietly upset he didn’t fully seize the moment.

“I’m never upset [with] anything off of par; it’s usually a good score, it’s a good start,’’ Mickelson said.

Mickelson is buoyed by his driving, but perplexed by his putting after taking 31 of them on Thursday.

Asked how long he’ll stick with the claw grip on putts, Mickelson said, “It might be weeks, it might be months, it might be days, hours, I don’t know.’’

He called his putting “the last piece’’ that needs to fall into place.
“I’m going to keep working on it,’’ he said.

It did not take long for that to happen. Minutes after his round was complete, Mickelson marched right to the practice green and worked on his putting for about 40 minutes.

“I don’t feel like it’s far off,’’ he said.

Nor is the support of Mickelson, whose following is, by far, the largest for any player in the field.
“Mickelson for president!’’ one fan yelled to him on his first hole in the morning.

When it was suggested to him his legion of fans are trying to “will’’ the ball into the hole for him, Mickelson joked: “If they’re not, I certainly am trying to will it [in]. I love it. I really am appreciative of the support. It’s a special week. This is a special tournament, a tournament that means a lot to me.

“I don’t know if it will be this week or next year or the year after, [but] I do still have 100 percent confidence that I’ll be able to break through and get one.’’