FBR Open round one: Watch out for Phil Mickelson

The stage looks set for Phil Mickelson to slash and burn his way to the top after a decidedly dodgy start Thursday. The eagle on his 12th hole just about made amends for the two par five bogeys that started the round. At least he didn’t try to blame it on the frost that delayed proceedings. Some of his later play, though, was superlative, suggesting there might be an interesting round to follow.

He is going to have to elbow his way through an interesting gaggle of players at the top. Exactly who is top though is unclear - there’s still a distinct possibility of Nick O’Hern joining the current joint leaders or even nudging ahead.

Kenny Perry obviously benefited from having last weekend off, but one of the most noteworthy rounds came from K J Choi. He says the course “fits my eye", which is a bit rich from someone who has missed the cut in four of his five appearances. Obviously he has wiped the memory of those horrors in favour of 2005, when he finished 11th after having looked a potential winner until a calamitous final round. So he does have form and if he needs any inducement it could be the sight of fellow countryman Charlie Wi a stroke ahead.

The stats so far are all over the place, thanks in part I imagine to the frosty start. But with the course playing predictably soft and long iron work rather than the putter seems to have been the key to success.

Temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark again Friday morning so I guess there’s the chance of further frustrating delays, which is particularly hard on those still to finish. That includes Chris DiMarco who, without producing any startling results so far, is starting to suggest a good season might be in store. For a while he looked a potential leader Tuesday until a double bogey on his 14th.

Biggest shocker though must be Geoff Ogilvy’s six over. Just where has the former US Open champion’s game gone that he should be propping up a leaderboard?