Former open champion Phil Mickelson served some of the old spells while the American veteran opened with an impressive one under 70 in Rain Royal Portrush on Thursday.

The 55-year-old six-time winner who set up Claret South in Muirfield in 2013 briefly threatened the top of the early leader as he rolls the years.

After a bird in the second premature hole, Mickelson Then there were galleries in the kidnapping as he housed a wonderful blow of a bunker for the third, the ball he had put in the sand.

“That was a crazy,” said Mickelson with his left hand, whose short trademark game remains unhappy.

“This bunker kick that buried on the lips, and then to do it, it was definitely very lucky. It was crazy. I was trying to save Bogey, and I was lucky and entered. I really hit many good shots today, and it was not very stressful.”

Mickelson, who plays at the Liv Golf tour, has lost five cuts in his last seven open appearances, but says he still loves the challenge made by British link courses.

“I played really well, and I had an opportunity. How, I really like to play these conditions and play this tour. Juds is just a lot of fun,” he said.

Mickelson managed to lose the worst of the rain that soaked the later beginners and after a pair of luggage in the nine rear, he held a 20 -meter kick in 17 to return under the money.

He lost the cut in Portrush six years ago, but said the PAR-71 layout on the coast of Antrim County is a fair test.

“It seems to be compatible with the degree of good or bad hit him,” he said. “Like if you hit a really good blow, it really rewarded.

“If you hit a really bad blow, it gets a really bad place, compared to removing with really bad shots and be lucky.” It looks like it penalizes it to the extent it should. “

Mickelson left better than twice open champion Padraig Harrington The 53-year-old, who had the honor of hitting Tee’s first goal, went around in four-on 75 despite making one of the birds in the harsh opening hole.

The Irishman said he was not surprised that Mickelson’s likes, and the 52-year-old of England Lee Westwood who scored a two-nine-nine-year-old, is doing well, suggesting that the new 55-year-old border for exceptions for former champions, from 2024, is harsh.

“We’re getting younger at that stage. The older golfists are much more capable now,” he said.

“I think I’ve trained with a full -time physio for about 27 years now, that’s why players are stretching their careers. Look at the player’s objects this week. There are ice baths and saunas and all sorts of things.

“There is no physical obstacle to me by hitting shots and racing.”