Mickelson in Prime Position From the Start

Phil Mickelson is on one of those hot streaks where even bad shots right themselves. Tiger Woods, on the other hand, has hit a rough patch not even a fishing vacation can cure.

Mickelson, who won the Greater Hartford Open last weekend, was bogey-free Thursday, shooting a six-under-par 66 to finish one back in the first round of the Western Open at Lemont, Ill.

“The goal Thursday is really just to get into contention, not to shoot way up the leaderboard,” Mickelson said. “The goal is to have a shot on Sunday. This is a nice start.”

It’s going to take more than that for Woods, who took last week off after finishing out of the top 10 in consecutive tournaments for the first time since 1999. He struggled all day, overshooting greens, missing putts and hitting shots so maddening he actually broke a club on the 18th hole.

A double-bogey on the par-four 18th left him at one-over 73, eight strokes behind leader Mark Wiebe. Davis Love III also shot a 66, tying Mickelson at one back.

Karrie Webb shot a one-under 70 in the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic at Sylvania, Ohio, in her first tournament since winning the LPGA Championship two weeks ago.

Defending champion Annika Sorenstam shot a 72 that left her five shots behind co-leaders Fiona Pike and Alicia Dibos.

New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, using new clubs and a new ball, shot a six-under 67 for a share of the first-round lead in the European Open at Straffan, Ireland.