Two-time winner Mickelson needs to make his move

The Associated Press

CROMWELL, Conn. — Phil Mickelson has had his share of success at TPC River Highlands, winning twice back when the PGA Tour event was still called the Greater Hartford Open.

Then he took 15 years off. The six-time U.S. Open runner-up needed a break after golf’s most grueling major to recover and spend time with his family. Now that his three children have grown, he’s back at the Travelers Championship trying to recapture the form that helped him to victory in 2001 and ‘02.

“I skipped it for a long time because it was our kids’ time to take a break in the summer,” Mickelson, who didn’t play the event from 2004-18, said Thursday after shooting a 1-under 69 that left him six strokes behind the leaders.

Satoshi Kodaira and Kramer Hickok each shot a 63 — the best in their careers on tour — to share the first-round lead. Talor Gooch was one stroke back, and five golfers were two strokes off the lead at minus 5.

Defending champion Dustin Johnson, who held the world No. 1 ranking until Jon Rahm passed him Sunday with his U.S. Open victory, stumbled at the start with a bogey on the second hole and then a double on No. 3. He finished with a pair of birdies to end the day at 70 at TPC River Highlands.

Mickelson sank a 64-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 ninth hole — his second-longest putt since the tour began tracking such things in 2004. The 51-year-old PGA Championship winner then made a 40-footer for par on No. 10.