Phil Mickelson showed again why he is King of the West Coast Swing.
Mickelson, playing for the first time in 2019, shot 12-under-par 60 at La Quinta Country Club www.lqcc.org to take a three-stroke lead over Adam Long after the first round of the 60th Desert Classic.
“It was a lucky day for me because I didn’t feeI sharp in my practice sessions, but everything just clicked,” said Mickelson, who has won 19 times in California and Arizona, including this tournament in 2002 and 2004. “I was excited to start the year, but didn’t have any real expectations, although I am fresh.
“I got away with my bad shots and didn’t have any big scores. I chipped in on 14 where I could have lost a shot, but I picked one up instead. I didn’t feel really ready to go, but I putted really well and knew on 16 I had a chance to shoot 59.
“We have three tough rounds to go and it’s hard to follow up a good round, but I just want to go out and enjoy it.”
Lefty, who became the first player in PGA Tour history to shoot 60 three times, collected six of his 10 birdies on back nine and eagled the sixth hole. His previous 60s came in the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2005 and 2013.
Long. A PGA Tour rookie, posted a 63 on the Nicklaus Stadium Course at PGA West www.pgawest.com in La Quinta that included an eagle on the fourth hole, while Curtis Luck of Australia was third with a bogey-free 64 at La Quinta CC.
Adam Hadwin of Canada holed out for an eagle from 60 yards on the 16th hole of the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West to card a 65 and is tied for fourth with Martin Laird of Scotland and Trey Mullinax, who both totaled 65 on the Nicklaus Course, and Wyndham Clark, who equaled that score at La Quinta.
Defending champion Jon Rahm of Spain recorded a 66 at La Quinta and is tied for eighth with Alex Cjeka of Germany (Nicklaus Course), Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela (Stadium Course), Adam Sevensson of Canada (La Quinta), Sean O’Hair (Nicklaus Course), Abraham Ancer of Mexico (La Quinta), C.T. Pan of Taiwan (Nicklaus Course), Robert Streb (La Quinta) and Steve Marino (Stadium Course).
Top-ranked Justin Rose of England is tied for 31st at 68.
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