Mickelson shoots 64, leads at Wells Fargo

Phil Mickelson has gone nine months since he finished among the top 20, and it looks as though that streak is about to end at the Wells Fargo Championship.

The 50-year-old fivetime major champ kept his focus Thursday at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C., and blistered the course for a 7-under 64 to build a two-shot lead after the opening round. All but one of Mickelson’s eight birdies was longer than 5 feet.

Mickelson ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch around the turn. He closed with two birdies and a superb par save on the par-4 ninth for his best score since a 63 in the second round of the Travelers in June.

„ Local stars Patty Tavatanakit and Atthaya Thitikul carded 8-under 64s to share a one-stroke stroke lead at the LPGA Thailand in Pattaya . ... Former British Open champ Darren Clarke shot an opening-round 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead at the Tradition in Birmingham, Ala., the first of the the PGA Tour Champions’ five majors.

College football: Texas LB Jake Ehlinger, the 20-yearold younger brother of ex-Longhorns QB Sam Ehlinger, was found dead at his apartment in Austin. No cause of death was released, but police said it wasn’t suspicious.

Horse racing: Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality and runner-up Mandaloun will not run in the Preakness Stakes on May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

NFL: The Lions and Frank Ragnow agreed to a fouryear, $54 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid center in the league, ESPN reported. Ragnow, 24, a 2018 firstround draft pick, made his first Pro Bowl last season.

Tennis: Top-ranked Ash Barty cruised past wildcard entry Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-3 to advance to final of the Madrid Open. Barty will face fifth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-3.