By Matt Smith
The smile was back on Phil Mickelson’s face after his first competitive round of golf in four months.

The American six-time major winner has been in the spotlight in recent times for his misguided comments aimed at the PGA Tour, and he chose to step away from the game — until this week as he took part in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series at Centurion Club outside London.

Following a media grilling on Wednesday, Mickelson was glad to just get out on course on a cloudy Thursday, and posted a solid one-under to sit in tied-seventh alongside Dustin Johnson, four strokes back from first-round leader Charl Schwartzel.

There was yet another bombshell from the PGA Tour on Thursday as they announced their 17 players who have taken part on the LIV Series were banned.

“I feel happy to be back out playing again,” Mickelson said, clearly insisting on distancing himself from the fallout from the States. “It has been a long time. I just got off the golf course and as I said yesterday in the press conference, any PGA Tour matters I’m not going to discuss publicly at this time.

“I really enjoyed today. It was fun for me to get back out playing. I struck the ball really well and didn’t putt very well. I really struggled with the putter the front, the first six, seven holes but I played really well and fought back after a double on 9 to shoot 1-under and get myself right in it on the first day.

Referencing the three-day team format in the LIV Series, he added: “With the short format it’s important to have that good first day. It’s harder, you don’t have as many days to catch up but I needed a good day. I’m playing well and I feel like having my first competitive round now being back after a few months, I feel like I’m ready to relax and put it together and let it happen and not force it and really have a good round tomorrow. I feel like I’m playing well and the putter started to feel better the second half of the round.

“It’s a very cool energy here. You know, it’s been a while since I’ve played. It seemed awfully fun. The people were terrific and it was fun to hit some good shots and get in a competitive frame of mind again. I really enjoyed it.

“I really enjoyed playing with DJ (Johnson). Scott (Vincent) was terrific. I am going to play all eight LIV Golf events this year and all 10 next year, that much I can tell you.”

Sergio Garcia, the Spanish champion of the 2017 Masters, also distanced himself from the PGA Tour developments on Thursday.

“I resigned about a week ago, so I am not banned,” he said. “I am happy where I am and this was a real fun day. Whatever the PGA do is not up to me.

“One of the reasons I resigned is because I do not want any legal battles. I can enjoy my golf, spend more time with my family and I am very excited about the future.

“It would be nice for everyone to get along, but some don’t want to. But I am happy where I am.”

Sergio Garcia

Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open champ who resigned from the PGA Tour just ahead of his tee off at Centurion, added: “The PGA Tour needs to do what it thinks it has to do. But we have a situation. It is disappointing, but there is not a lot we can do about it. We are here knowing the potential consequences, but LIV have done a great job and they will stand by us through this all. It is not about the PGA Tour being bad, it is about furthering opportunities for myself.”

Schwartzel kept his focus on the action, with $25 million on the line, alongside his Stinger teammates and fellow South Africans Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen and Hennie Du Plessis.

“I was more worried for my team,” he said. “I had a poor start with a five-footer for bogey, but we all got going and we pulled for each other and we are now in a really good place.”

With the four South Africans in one team, it was no surprise that the Stinger team marched out to a nine-under lead, with Mickelson’s Hy Flyers second on three-under along with Peter Uihlein’s Crushers.

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