Golf-Mickelson makes solid start in final Masters tune-up

Three-times Masters champion Phil Mickelson looked sharp in his preparation for next week's season-opening major by firing a six-under-par 66 to join the first-round leaderboard at the Houston Open on Thursday. Fellow American Scott Piercy was best among the early starters with a blistering, bogey-free round of nine-under-par 63 for a three-shot lead at the Golf Club of Houston. Mickelson, the 2011 Houston winner, likes to sharpen his tournament play the week before the test at Augusta National and got off to a fast start. Beginning his round at the 10th, Mickelson birdied three of his first four holes and added two more birdies to make the turn in five-under 31.

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