Phil Mickelson was delighted to be back when he made a return to action at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Mickelson relieved to get back out on the course
World number two Phil Mickelson said he was delighted to be back when he made a return to action at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Thursday.
The American, who last featured at the US Open in mid-June, has been taking time off from the game after both his wife and mother were diagnosed with breast cancer.
But, having vowed to feature at the PGA Championship, he is now back in action and admits he had been desperate to return to the course.
"I was excited to get back out and play," he said.
"I missed playing golf and I missed competing. I missed both of those aspects and, in the off-season, I enjoyed taking that time off. I enjoyed being away from the game.
"This was different."
Surprise
Mickelson, who shot an opening, level-par 70, took a while to get back into the swing on his first day back.
Having double-bogeyed at his second hole of the day and found himself three-over, he secured three birdies on the back nine to recover, but he admits he did not expect to have such a disappointing start.
"I think surprising for me was I had been playing much better this week in my preparation," he said.
"I had been driving the ball a lot better. I was swinging the club much more confidently.
"I think when you get in competition, I wasn't trusting myself as much, and the pins start to get tucked and you can't miss it in certain spots, and I start kind of steering it a little bit.
"The last eight holes I made a few better swings. I hit a shot at seven where I carved a four iron in there to get back to that back left pin and made a 15-footer for birdie.
"There was big for me because to get back to under par after being three over, to get in a position to move up the leaderboard, that was good."
