The Daily Wrap-up, Round 1: Northern Trust Open
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Riviera brought out a small measure of revival in Phil Mickelson.
Lefty usually plays his best golf on the Left Coast, with 16 victories in every city where the PGA TOUR has played in California and Arizona. He has never gone without a top 10 on this side of the country, a streak that was in jeopardy after the way Mickelson opened his season.
He missed the cut in Phoenix.
He couldn't crack the top 40 at Torrey Pines, where he has won three times.
And he needed a birdie on the final hole at Pebble Beach to make the cut. Just his luck, that meant sticking around a few more days until the tournament was called off because of bad weather.
"And keep me over an extra day?" Mickelson said. "That was brilliant on my part."
He was brilliant in the truest sense Thursday at the Northern Trust Open with an 8-under 63, his best ever on the fabled course located a canyon away from the Pacific Ocean. Mickelson won the tournament last year and lost in a playoff the year before.
"I have a lot of confidence coming onto this golf course," he said.
It sure didn't look good from the start.
Opening his round on the tricky 10th hole, a par 4 of 302 yards that can be terrifying, Mickelson hit his driver some 40 yards over the green into thick rough. He had to carry a shallow bunker, leaving him hardly any room between the bunker and the green. Picture a golf bag standing on the collar of the green, and that would be the size of his landing area.
"It was a very difficult shot there, with only two yards of green to work with," Mickelson said. "It was one of the better shots I've hit this year, actually."
That's not saying much considering this was the first time he has broken 70.
But the rest of his game was sharp, too. The misses weren't nearly as wild, the putts dropped far more frequently and Mickelson picked up confidence with each of his eight birdies on a gorgeous morning off Sunset Boulevard.
"There's three more rounds to go," he said. "But I feel like I'm back on track."
• To read the remainder of this story, click here.
TIGER'S RETURN: WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
We asked fellow PGA TOUR players at the Northern Trust Open what their thoughts were about Tiger Woods returning to golf for next week's World Golf Championships-Acccenture Match Play Championship Feb. 25-March 1 in Tucson, Ariz. Here's what they had to say:
Rocco Mediate: "Good. It's about time. I'm glad he's coming back. Good for him. We need him. Period. Our TOUR is cool, but it's really, really cool with him. It's just a notch above. No disrespect. You can say what you want, but it's the truth. I've always believed that about him. He makes it what it is. We have, like I said, great players, Phillip, and everybody, they're all fine. But without him, it's not the same."
Kenny Perry: "He's probably changed too many diapers, he's house-burnt and he wants to get out here and start playing golf again. Anytime you say this kid's not going to be any good or do something, he proves the world wrong. He's the best that's ever played."
Scott McCarron: "What do I expect? I expect him to win the first week he comes out. I never expect him to do anything else. The guy is incredible."
Tom Lehman: "He's obviously ready to come back. He wouldn't be playing if he weren't. So I think it's great for him. It's great for golf. It's great for the fans. It's great for the tournament next week."
• To read more player reaction, click here.
| Thursday's Best |
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The par-5 first hole at Riviera was the easiest with a Thursday scoring average of 4.257.
The par-4 second hole at Riviera was toughest with a Thursday scoring average of 4.250.
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Rory Sabbatini, the 2006 winner at Riviera, holed out for birdie from the bunker on the par-3 16th hole. 
Phil Mickelson had eight birdies and no bogeys in a round of 8-under 63 that gave him the opening-day lead. | QUOTE OF THE DAY | ||
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INSIDE THE ROPES WITH THE PGA TOUR NETWORK
PGA TOUR Network correspondent Fred Albers offers these observations from Thursday's action. Listen to PGA TOUR Live coverage on XM 146/SIRIUS 209 or right here at PGATOUR.com.
Phil Mickelson got some Hall of Fame help during his Wednesday practice round. Amy Alcott walked with Mickelson and gave him some advice on his short game. Alcott grew up playing at Riviera Country Club and Mickelson respects her local knowledge of the course. The combination seems to have worked as Mickelson shot a season-best 8-under 63.
It was easy to find Ryo Ishikawa on the golf course...simply look for the largest number of photographers and reporters. The 17-year-old Ishikawa had an 8:45 a.m. start time, but by 8:20 there were already more than 100 members of the media gathered around the first tee awaiting the phenom's first shot of his PGA TOUR career. Ishikawa birdied his opening hole before fading to a 2-over 73.
Scott McCarron had an interesting off season. He hunted for elk using a bow and arrow, he caught a 300-pound marlin off the coast of Mexico and he piloted a vintage P-51 Mustang fighter plane. McCarron also found time to practice some golf. The UCLA graduate used just 21 putts to shoot a 7-under 64 in the opening round.
| What the top finishers said... | ||||||||||||
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| Read full interview transcripts | |||
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| Live Essentials | ||||
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FIRST-ROUND NOTEBOOK: NORTHERN TRUST OPEN
By Mark Williams, PGA TOUR Staff
LOS ANGELES -- Play was suspended due to darkness at 6:05 p.m. local time with four players remaining on the course. Mark Brooks (1 over through 17), Bill Lunde (2 under through 16), Chris Stroud (1 under through 16) and Kevin Chappell (4 over through 16) will return at 7:45 a.m. to complete the first round. The second round will begin as scheduled.
• Phil Mickelson shot a bogey-free, 8-under 63. The last time Mickelson scored a bogey-free round was a second-round 65 at the 2008 BMW Championship.
• Mickelson's 63 equals the best first round in tournament history, joining Padraig Harrington (1997), Michael Allen (1990) and Lanny Wadkins (1985) who all scored 63s at Riviera Country Club.
• This is Mickelson's 11th visit to the Northern Trust Open and his 63 is his ninth consecutive round under par at Riviera Country Club. He holds the first-round lead for the 20th time in his career.
• To read the remainder of this story,click here.
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