It wasn't exactly what he was hoping for, but Phil Mickelson still views his opening round of the new PGA Tour season as a step in the right direction.
Mickelson is one of a handful of players in the field for the Safeway Open who will also make the trek across the country for next week's U.S. Open at Winged Foot. Making his first PGA Tour start since The Northern Trust, Lefty got off to a slow start and didn't make a single birdie over his first nine holes. While he bounced back with three birdies coming in, his 1-under 71 still left him eight shots off the lead and with work to do simply to make the cut.