<p>KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. &mdash; Don’t count Lefty out of a major, no matter how badly he started the PGA Championship. </p>
<p>Phil Mickelson, the 50-year-old five-time major champion, looked headed for a missed cut after opening with four bogeys in his first six holes Thursday. </p>
<p>But like so many other times in his stellar career, Mickelson called on his impeccable shot-making to climb back up the leaderboard and into contention after one round at the Ocean Course with a 2-under 70 that left three shots off the lead.</p>
<p>“I’m very pleased to be under par, especially after a rough start,” Mickelson said. </p>
<p>Things have been plenty rough for Mickelson lately. He came into Kiawah Island with little momentum — his best finish on the PGA Tour this season was a tie for 21st at the Masters last month — and it showed from the start. He missed the fairway with his opening drive and put the approach in a waste bunker to drop a stroke. </p>
<p>After a birdie on No. 3, Mickelson’s struggles intensified as he missed the green on the next three holes and failed on par putts within 20 feet on each to fall to 3-over. </p>
<p>The comeback, though, started on the par-5 seventh with a 4-foot birdie, then took off after Mickelson made the turn.</p>
<p>He drove into a waste area on the 10th hole before landing his approach inside 5 feet for a birdie. A two-putt birdie from 60 feet on the par-5 11th continued his trend toward the top. </p>
<p>Mickelson showed his classic deft touch for his final two birdies, hitting approach shots within 6 feet on the 15th and 16th (the latter from a waste area) and making the putts to reach 2-under. </p>
<p>Mickelson’s ability to scramble on the closing holes kept him in the mix. He stuck a wedge inside 30 inches from a difficult spot in a waste bunker to save par on the gnarly, par-3 17th. He followed that with a final par save when his second shot rolled off the right side of the green and he landed it 3 feet away.</p>
<p>It’s a positive stretch that Mickelson knows will take a lot of mental strength to continue. </p>
<p>He last won on the PGA Tour at Pebble Beach in 2019, although he won twice on the PGA Tour Champions after he turned 50 in 2020.</p>
<p>Lefty’s last major was the British Open in 2013. A year later, he was second in the PGA Championship, the last time he was truly in contention at the tournament he won 16 years ago at Baltusrol. </p>
<p>He believes he’s made progress at staying close to players half his age with power to spare and considerable talent around the green. </p>
<p>“The guys out here are so good,” he said. “They are so talented. The course setups are very penalizing that you’ve got got be focused every shot and if I lose my focus on any holes out of 72, the field here is going to eat me up.” </p>
<p>Soon after his round ended, Mickelson headed to the range to hit drivers and prep for a morning tee time and not take himself out of contention by losing focus. </p>
<p>“I’m enjoying the challenge and I’m playing well enough to do it,” he said. “But I just need to be present on every shot.” </p>
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