The first wave of morning tee times are making their way through their first nine, and the power grouping of Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, and Bubba Watson are on a bit of a rollercoaster ride through the first five holes. Mickelson spent only 10 to 15 minutes on the range warming up this morning, a dramatic departure from his typical routine but he cited wind conditions which were not simulate what he wanted to do on the course. He then made his way to the first tee and started with a lost ball on his first shot of the day, badly pulling his drive. The ball apparently never came out of a tree down the right side of the fairway and he made the "loneliest walk in golf" back to the tee. He went on to "save" a bogey at No. 1 but followed that up with two more before getting a red number at the par-3 13th hole, which he called the most interesting and difficult shot on the course.
Tiger, meanwhile, had a steady start as Phil and Bubba hit it all over the yard. He started with five straight pars and is even as their group hits a stretch of the course with birdie opportunities. Woods has been in control, regulating his trajectory but struggling a bit with distance on a cold morning at Olympic.
Kevin Na, waggler extraordinaire, currently leads at 3-under par with a hot start on the back side.
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