Phil Mickelson avoided most of the rain to card a 1-under 70 for his best opening round at an Open Championship since 2016.

Phil Mickelson was flying high on Thursday at Royal Portrush, posting a solid 1-under 70 at the opening round of the 153rd British Open.

Phil Mickelson didn’t make a bogey over his first nine holes Thursday at The Open. In fact, he even saved birdie. The 2013 Open champion hit his second shot into a greenside bunker at the par-5 second and then left the ball in there with his next swing. Mickelson promptly holed his fourth.

It was a return six years in the making, and it was a return that perfectly encapsulated Rory McIlroy. Making the trek back to Royal Portrush for The Open Championship -- now as a career grand slam winner -- the Northern Irishman experienced a topsy-turvy day as the hard stuff came easy and the easy stuff came hard.

Scottie Scheffler, despite having little experience with links golf, is just a single stroke back at -3, along with Matthew Jordan, Tyrrell Hatton and Sadom Kaewkanjana, an ordained monk who’s bringing a bit of serenity to his golf game.