Phil Mickelson kept it entertaining to the very end on Thursday and finished one shot behind Argentina's Angel Cabrera in the Wells Fargo Championship.
Cabrera played in early, calmer conditions and thrived on the new Bermuda greens at Quail Hollow. He made seven birdies, including a 40-footer from just off the green, and turned in a six-under 66 that stood as the lead for the rest of the day.
Mickelson caught him twice and couldn't hold it.
Coming off his first missed cut at the Masters in 17 years, Mickelson handled the strong, swirling wind in the afternoon for a five-under 67, tied with fellow American Martin Flores.
Mickelson hit only one fairway on the back nine. He bogeyed both the par 3s. He chipped poorly and atoned for that with long par putts.
And he wound up with the start he wanted at a tournament he badly wants to win.
"It was important for me to get off to a good start today because I haven't played as well as I would like to this year, and I haven't been getting off to great starts," Mickelson said.
"So I'm always playing from behind. And it feels great to get off to a quick start where I don't have to feel like I'm playing catch-up."
Americans Webb Simpson, Jonathan Byrd and Stewart Cink were tied for fourth on four-under 68.
Bronson La'Cassie led the Australian challenge after carding a one-under 71, one shot better than 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy.
Cabrera made a couple of long putts, most of the birdie chances one would expect to make and hit it close enough times to post his lowest score of the year, and only his fourth round this year in the 60s.
"It was a very good first round, and we have a lot to go," the Argentine said.
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