Mickelson stutters after early promise

Phil Mickelson's bid to become world number one for the first time - at the expense of Tiger Woods - began with a birdie at Sawgrass today, but it was not the start of something special.

After nine holes of the £6.2million Players Championship he was back to level par and that was five behind little-known fellow American Alex Prugh.

While Woods was among the later starters in golf's richest event, as was Sunday's stunning winner Rory McIlroy, the Masters champion set off in perfect early conditions.

To see an end to his 258-week reign going back five years Woods had to finish outside the top five, which suddenly would come as no surprise after he missed the cut by a massive eight strokes in the Quail Hollow Championship last Friday.

Mickelson for his part had to win and an opening 10-foot putt on the 424-yard 10th promised great things.

He was in a greenside bunker for two at the long 11th, but had to settle for par after his recovery made it only onto the bank in front of him.

Driving right down the difficult 14th cost him a shot and after two-putting the par-five 16th for his second birdie of the day he three-putted two holes later to turn in 36.

Prugh, making his debut in the tournament, improved four shots on that thanks to birdies at the 10th, 11th, 16th and 17th and then picked up another shot at the 532-yard second.

It put him two ahead of compatriots Troy Matteson, JB Holmes and Ben Crane and also former winner Stephen Ames.

The leading Europeans at that point were on two under - German Martin Kaymer with five to play in the first group of the day, England's Greg Owen and Ross Fisher after 12 and seven holes and also Sweden's defending champion Henrik Stenson, who covered the back nine in 34.