Phil Mickelson pointed his putter at the cup and started to walk toward the hole, ready to celebrate golf's magic number.
Right at the end, though, the ball caught the right edge of the cup, curled 180 degrees to the other side of the hole and stayed out. A fraction of an inch turned cheers to gasps and cost him a 59 on Thursday in the first round of the Phoenix Open.Mickelson settled for an 11-under 60 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, matching the tournament record he already shared with Grant Waite and Mark Calcavecchia.Five players have shot 59 in official PGA Tour events. Japan's Ryo Ishikawa had the lowest round on a major tour, shooting a 12-under 58 to win the 2010 Crowns on the Japan Tour.Seeking his third victory in the event, Mickelson had a four-stroke lead over Ryan Palmer, Brandt Snedeker, Padraig Harrington, Ted Potter Jr. and Jeff Maggert when play was suspended because of darkness in the round that started an hour late because of frost.Singh withdrawsVijay Singh cited a back injury as his reason to withdraw from the Phoenix Open, a day after saying he used deer-antler spray.The 49-year-old Fijian first revealed he used the spray in an interview with Sports Illustrated and released a statement Wednesday at the Phoenix Open, saying: "While I have used deer-antler spray, at no time was I aware that it may contain a substance that is banned under the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Policy."Sterne shoots 62Richard Sterne nearly broke the course record at the Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates, shooting 10-under 62 in the first round to finish one shot ahead of Stephen Gallacher. Lee Westwood was five shots back.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
