Bogeys save Mickelson momentum in hunt for major age mark

AUGUSTA, United States: Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson birdied five of the last seven holes in Thursday's opening round of the Masters, leaping into contention to become golf's oldest-ever major champion.

The 48-year-old American lefthander fired a five-under par 67 at Augusta National to stand one stroke behind US co-leaders Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau after 18 holes.

"It's fun to finish a good round off rather than leak one here or there coming in. So it was a good day," Mickelson said. "It was great. It was a lot of fun."

Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion who turns 49 in June, could surpass the major age win record owned by Julius Boros from the 1968 PGA Championship and the Masters mark of 46 by Jack Nicklaus in 1986.

More importantly for Mickelson would be a fourth green jacket to match Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer for second on the alltime list behind the six of Jack Nicklaus.

Mickelson considered it important to take full advantage of a course softened by rain.

"I was just hoping to shoot in the 60s. I thought there were some 66s out there," Mickelson said.

"Look, the greens are softer than they've ever been, and they're not as fast as they normally are. So today was a day to take advantage of it. I'm sure they'll get firmer and faster as the week goes on. But you could get after the pins and you could putt aggressively."

Mickelson birdied the par5 second and eighth holes but opened the back nine with back-to-back bogeys. Instead of stumbling, Mickelson saw the setbacks as momentum savers.