Mickelson keeps rolling at Riviera

Only a few days removed from putting on a clinic at Pebble Beach for his 40th PGA Tour victory. Phil Mickelson seems to have kept the momentum rolling into Riviera at the Northern Trust Open.

Getting off to a quick start with a birdie on the first, Mickelson added one more red number on his card, to make the turn at 2-under, 33.

Playing in the afternoon wave of players, it seemed the weather; particularly the wind, might have been a little less for the guys in the afternoon.

Scores kept looking like they would go low early on as many were getting birdies at a faster rate than the morning wave.

The wind kicked up once again and the scores began to level off, for most.

'Lefty' began his back nine with back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11.

On the par-five 11th, Mickelson pulled out his driver from just over 300 yards. His shot made the green, and a two putt later, another circle was on the card.

He would add two more birdies on 13 and 18, to his one lone slip on the par-three, 16th where he recorded his only bogey of his round.

To cap it all off, he even chipped in from about 35 or so feet to end his day with the lead at five-under, 66.

“It wasn’t one I was really trying to make,” said Mickelson in his post round press conference.

“It was quick, it was downhill, and I had to play about 4 or 5 feet of break, so it’s not one that you’re trying to get aggressive with. I was trying to get good speed and try to let it feed with the break, and I got fortunate, obviously, that it went in.”

Due to darkness, 30 players were left on the course who have yet to finish their first rounds. Which is not uncommon at this event.