Mickelson breaks through on West Coast, shoots 63 for lead

With a flop shot that was amazing even by his standards, Phil Mickelson took a step toward shaking off his West Coast doldrums Thursday with his best round ever at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. From 40 yards behind the 10th green, his ball buried in the rough and his landing area no bigger than a hub cap, Mickelson barely cleared the bunker and settled 6 feet from the hole to start his day with a birdie. It sent him to an 8-under 63 and a 1-shot lead at the Northern Trust Open, a round Mickelson desperately needed after one of the worst starts to his career. "It was one of the better shots I've hit this year," Mickelson said.

That's not saying much considering this was the first time he has broken 70 on the Left Coast, where Lefty has compiled 16 of his 34 victories on the PGA Tour. The rest of his game also was sharp. The misses weren't nearly as wild, the putts dropped far more frequently, and Mickelson picked up confidence with each of his 8 birdies on a gorgeous morning off Sunset Boulevard."There's three more rounds to go," he said. "But I feel like I'm back on track." - Associated Press