‘Solid’ start for Mickelson
Shoots 69 on a no-stress day
NORTON — It has been largely a year to forget for Phil Mickelson, still searching for his first top-four of the season and his first win since the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield.
He fashioned a 2-underpar 69 in yesterday’s opening round of the Dell Technologies Championship to put himself in a logjam with nine others in 12th place, 3 shots behind the leader, Dustin Johnson. The lefty had a round of three birdies and one bogey, all on the front side after parring his way around the more difficult back nine at TPC Boston.
“It was nice to have a solid round,” Mickelson said. “I played well tee to green, and it made for a stress-free day in a very difficult condition day. A lot of the swirling winds lead to some difficult club selections.”
On the first hole, Mickelson stuck a wedge from 95 yards just 3 feet from the pin on his way to a birdie.
He was steady for much of the day, hitting 10-of14 fairways and 12-of-18 greens, only running into trouble at the par-5 second, where his tee shot found the bunker and he missed a 9-footer. He got it back with a birdie at No. 5 and added another at No. 7.
It was his first opening round in red numbers since The Greenbrier in early July.
Mickelson said the physical game has been fine, but recently his mental focus and energy level were lacking.
“After the PGA,” he said, “I went and addressed it and met with doctor who helped me get through some of the arthritis conditions I had years ago — well, I still have it, but deal with it.
“He seemed to have found something. This is the best energy I’ve had throughout the round and the best focus, the first time I’ve been able to visualize.”
Mickelson said the changes were most notable with his short game as he was able to see the shot in his mind.
“I’m able to see the arc of the shot I’m trying to hit and have that picture in my head, which I have not been able to do.”
Tway to go
Ranked 69th in the FedEx Cup standings, Kevin Tway is part the group of players firmly on the bubble for the BMW Championship. He helped his cause with a hole-in-one on the par-3 11th, using a 5-iron.
“I was trying to go a little left of the hole, and then when I hit it I was like, ‘Oh, crap,’ it was going right at it,” he said. “We couldn’t see anything and then we heard the roars and then we went crazy.”
Tway opened with a 71. He said it was his second ace as a pro, following one on the Web.com Tour.
Tway’s father, Bob, is tied for fifth all-time with seven holes-in-one on tour, including two in the 1994 Memorial.
Bradley struggles
It was not the start Keegan Bradley wanted, struggling to a 5-over 76 that has him 10 shots off the early pace.
He overcame an opening double-bogey on the par-4 10th and was 3-over after three holes. A birdie-birdie-eagle run closed out the back side to put him at 1-under. The birdie run did not continue onto the front side, however, and he dropped shots at Nos. 4, 6 and 7 before a closing triple for a 42 on his final nine of the day.
The Hopkinton High grad will try to make his way back on to the right side of the cut line today beginning at 1:04 p.m.
A dirty dozen
Kelly Kraft had his day get off to a bad start by making a septuple-bogey 12 at the par-5 second hole.
It is the worst score on a hole this season on the PGA Tour. Rory Sabatini had an 11 on the third hole in the second round of the FedEx St. Jude Classic while Harris English also had an 11 in the second round of the Travelers Championship.
It is the highest score for one hole in the history of the FedEx Cup playoffs, surpassing an 11 from Nick Watney in 2011.
Kraft withdrew on the 15th hole, citing a right foot injury that he said on social media has been bothering him for a month.
Ryan Moore also withdrew following an 82 that included three double bogeys and a triple at No. 5.