Mickelson has no complaints with start
It wasn't quite the magic he performed last week at the BellSouth Classic, but Phil Mickelson wasn't complaining about his 2-under-par 70 in Thursday's first round at the Masters Tournament.
"I played well," Mickelson said. "I played far from perfect, but I hit a lot of good shots and ended up shooting 2-under, which I would gladly take at the start of the day."
The 2004 Masters champion came into this week on a roll after blowing away the BellSouth field with a 28-under total. It was his first win of the year and solidified his spot as one of the favorites to wear the green jacket Sunday.
Mickelson also used the BellSouth as something of a lab experiment to test a plan.
He discarded his 52-degree wedge and played last week with two Callaway Big Bertha FT-3 drivers in his bag. The shorter driver he uses for fading the ball; the longer for drawing it.
This is his way to counter the additional changes and length - 155 more yards - to Augusta National Golf Club this year.
"I think the scores are the only way to judge it by," Mickelson said about his two-driver system, "and 2-under I'll take."
For the most part, Mickelson's round was made on the back nine. After a middling front nine in which he sandwiched six pars around a bogey and two birdies, he came to life with consecutive birdies on Nos. 15 and 16.
Like a lot of the golfers Thursday, Mickelson said the course played fast and firm.
"We had perfect conditions," he said. "There was no wind at all to speak of. The fairways dried out a little bit, and we were able to get the ball out there and have reasonable shots in."
He is concerned about possible windy conditions today, which could make the course play even more difficult.
"Putting these greens with the wind is probably the biggest challenge," Mickelson said.
Reach Mike Wynn at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.
Former Champions
The first-round scores for the 19 former Masters champions in this year's field:
| Player (Years Won) | Score | To par |
| Vijay Singh (2000) | 67 | -5 |
| Phil Mickelson (2004) | 70 | -2 |
| Fred Couples (1992) | 71 | -1 |
| Ben Crenshaw (1984, '95) | 71 | -1 |
| Mike Weir (2003) | 71 | -1 |
| Tiger Woods (1997, 2001, '02, '05) | 72 | Even |
| Larry Mize (1987) | 75 | 3 |
| Jose Maria Olazabal (1994, '99) | 76 | 4 |
| Craig Stadler (1982) | 77 | 5 |
| Ian Woosnam (1991) | 77 | 5 |
| Fuzzy Zoeller (1979) | 78 | 6 |
| Nick Faldo (1989, '90, '96) | 79 | 7 |
| Raymond Floyd (1976) | 79 | 7 |
| Gary Player (1961, '74, '78) | 79 | 7 |
| Tom Watson (1977, '81) | 79 | 7 |
| Bernhard Langer (1985, '93) | 79 | 7 |
| Sandy Lyle (1988) | 80 | 8 |
| Mark O'Meara (1998) | 82 | 10 |
| Charles Coody (1971) | 89 | 17 |
