CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT – JUNE 26: Phil Mickelson of the United States plays his shot from the seventh tee during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 26, 2020 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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Cromwell, Conn, June 27: Life begins at 50. Again in the case of Phil Mickelson. Teeing up for the first time since his 50thbirthday on June 16, Mickelson has begin the Travelers Championship with 64-63 start that has given him sole lead at the halfway mark at the tournament he won in 2001 and 2002. Mickelson was at 13-under 127 and one shot ahead of Will Gordon, the world’s 561stranked player, who has rounds of 66-62 and Mackenzie Hughes (60-68).
Hughes added 68 to his opening round 60 and shared second with 23-year-old Gordon, who for most of the day after shooting an early 62, before Mickelson overtook him at the TPC River Highlands.
Rory McIlroy (63-68) was among five players at nine-under including Xander Schauffele (63-68). Bryson DeChambeau (65-67), who played with Mickelson and McIlroy, was Tied-ninth.
Among other top stars, Dustin Johnson (69-64) was T-20, Jon Rahm (66-68) was T-26 as was Sergio Garcia (64-70), Jordan Spieth (67-69) was T-53 as was Patrick Reed (66-70). The big names missing the cut included Bubba Watson (69-68), Gary Woodland (70-68), Justin Rose (67-73) and Justin Thomas (71-71).
Travelers Championship – Round 1 – Leaderboard
Considering he played two much-younger players Rory McIlroy (31) and Bryson DeChambeau (26), Mickelson has chosen to play the way he plays best, instead of going in for the distances the other two do.
“There’s some holes I can open it up and try to hit driver, but really I just want to get it in play on a lot of holes and let my wedges take over, and I’ve hit a lot of good wedge shots this week,” said Mickelson.
McIlroy followed his opening 63 with a 68 and was tied for fourth. “I know what it feels like to go low out here. I’ll need a couple of good ones over the weekend. But the game feels in decent shape, and obviously get out early tomorrow and try to get back in the mix.”
DeChambeau (65-67), the third member of the marquee trio, had a bogey he will not forget in a long time. His tee shot on the par-4 10th hole hit the cart path and rolled to the extent that it ended 428 yards from the tee and 48 yards from the hole. He pitched over the green and then chipped short of the hole and then missed a 7-foot putt.
Since winning his 44th PGA TOUR title at Pebble Beach, Mickelson has struggled and missed a lot of cuts, too. But on Friday, he bogeyed his second hole and made the first of his eight birdies from a green-side bunker on fifth before adding two more on seventh and ninth. He then shot 30 on the back nine.
Gordon playing only his eighth tour event on a sponsor’s exemption had nine birdies and missed a few. He was supposed in three of the events that got cancelled because of Covid, but Travelers, which has a tradition of giving young and less-experienced players a spot, gave him one and he is grabbing it with both hands.
Collin Morikawa, 23, missed the first cut in his PGA TOUR career after rounds of 72-71. He had made 22 straight cuts since turning pro, which is the longest such streak since Tiger Woods began his PGA TOUR career with 25 consecutive cuts.
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