Scores were low across the board on the opening day of the European Tour’s Saudi International, but no one made more back-nine noise than Phil Mickelson, even if he didn’t end up with the lead by day’s end.
Mickelson, playing the tournament for the first time after opting out of his usual Phoenix PGA Tour stop, strung together seven birdies plus a bogey coming home at Royal Greens G&CC in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. It left him with a 4-under 66, which was just two shots off the pace.
Mickelson needed an explosive back nine considering that he double-bogeyed his second hole and followed each of two front-nine birdies with an immediate bogey.
Leaderboard: Saudi International
Mickelson has 10 career wins on the European Tour wins. He missed the cut in his last two PGA Tour starts.
This is the Saudi International’s second year on the European Tour schedule, and it drew a deep field. After the first round, Graeme McDowell and Gavin Green topped the leaderboard with rounds of 6-under 64 at Royal Greens.
McDowell had three consecutive birdies on Nos. 16-18 to take a piece of the lead. Afternoon winds might have worked in the Northern Irishman’s favor. McDowell has not won on the European Tour since the 2014 Alstrom Open de France.
A group of five players stands between the leaders at 6 under and Mickelson’s group at 4 under. They include Victor Perez, Jhonattan Vegas, Sebastian Soderberg, Henrik Stenson and Adri Arnaus.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson had 3-under 67 to fall into a tie for 14th. Brooks Koepka opened with even-par 70 and Patrick Reed struggled to a 73.
