Sepp Straka of Austria played lights out in the first round at Safeway Open, but at the end of the day he had to share the spotlight with Phil Mickelson.
The 25-year-old Straka (pictured), who played college golf at Georgia, birdied the last three holes to shoot 9-under-par 63 and leads by one stroke over rookie Chase Wright and by two over Mickelson on the North Course at Silverado Resort and Spa (https://www.silveradoresort.com) in Napa.
“I really wasn’t expecting that right out of the gates,” said Straka, the 2016 Southeastern Conference champion whose only pro victory came in the 2018 KC Golf Classic on the Web.com Tour.
“But I had a good game plan and I just tried to do it shot by shot. I really didn’t do a lot of special things. My putter was really hot, and I putted the ball really well. Other than that, you know, I just took advantage of my chances.”
Wright, another recent graduate of the Web.com Tour, had the lead at 64 until Straka passed him late in the day.
However, Wright’s finish was even more impressive than Straka’s, as the former Indiana University star sank a 26-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole and birdies putts of 10 feet and eight feet on the last two holes.
“It’s been a great year,” said Wright, who has three pro victories, including the 2018 Rust-Oleum Championship on the Web.com Tour. “I know I should be here and I’m not by any means surprised about this. My last two competitive rounds were 64, so I think if I keep that up I’ll be just fine.”
But much of the talk at the end of the day was about Mickelson, who returned from a forgettable experience in France as Europe routed the United States last weekend in the Ryder Cup.
Lefty strung together six consecutive birdies through No. 14 in his bogey-free 65.
“I’ve been putting well, like I can putt,” said Mickelson, who had a 0-2 record at Le Golf National on the outskirts of Paris. “But I was surprised at some of the shots I’ve hit. Honestly, I hit it just terrible (recently) and today was kind of an anomaly. Don’t let the good round fool you. I’m not at all at my best. A few things clicked and it was fun.
“I had two terrible weeks at BMW and the Tour Championship (leading up to the Ryder Cup). But I’ve become a great putter week-in-and-week out with a few bad weeks, as opposed to in the past. I’ve been kind of an average putter with a few spikes. I’m back to putting well again and rolling it in the way I did all last year.”
Brandt Snedeker birdied five of his last six holes to post a 66 and is tied for fourth with Alex Prugh, J.T. Poston, Mackenzie Hughes of Canada, Sam Saunders, Sungjae Im of South Korea, Adam Long and Wyndham Clark.
Two-time defending champion Brendan Steele of Idyllwild and UC Riverside is tied for 12th at 67, while Fred Couples, 59, playing in what he says is his last PGA Tour event other than the Masters, shot 73 and is tied for 116th, with former Oakland A’s pitcher Mark Mulder tied for 134th at 75.
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