BEDMINSTER, N.J. - Henrik Stenson made a happy return to competition after being removed as Europe's Ryder Cup captain, sinking eight birdies in his LIV Golf Invitational debut Friday at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster for a 7-under-par 64 to share the 18-hole lead with Patrick Reed.
Phil Mickelson's return to a place where he normally has plenty of support wasn't entirely happy.
As the six-time major champion teed off, a spectator yelled "Do it for the Saudi royal family!"
Mickelson is immensely popular in the New York area, winning a PGA Championship at nearby Baltusrol and finishing as a runner-up four times at U.S. Opens in New York. He now is seen as the chief recruiter for the Saudi-funded LIV Golf circuit and its CEO, Greg Norman, even after stepping away from competitive golf for four months this year after his disparaging remarks about the Saudis and the PGA Tour came to light.
"I think I've always enjoyed playing in this area. We had a great day thereafter," Mickelson said of the spectator's words. "I thought it was a good day all around. I didn't really think much of it."
The rest of his day did not get much better, though, and he missed a 12-foot birdie putt on his final hole, then ran the three-footer for par some six feet by the hole.
"I'll wait," Mickelson said, and then realizing he was farthest from the hole added, "Is it still me?"
He made that for a bogey-bogey finish and a 75 that had him tied for 43rd in the 48-player field, but there will be no cut for the 54-hole event.
Stenson was among four new players added for the series' third tournament. The 46-year-old from Sweden pledged full support to the Europe-based DP World Tour in March when he accepted the Ryder Cup captain's job, but then he signed on with LIV Golf for a fee reported to be about $50 million.
The tour stripped him of the job last week when LIV announced his signing.
"It's nice to be out there playing golf," the 2016 British Open winner said. "And yeah, of course it's been a busy couple of weeks and not the most fun, but we keep our head down and focus on the golf. Just very pleased to have the ability to go out there and do that and play such a solid round."
AP photo by Carlos Osorio / Taylor Pendrith drives off the 11th tee during the second round of the PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic on Friday in Detroit.Pendrith healthy and leading
DETROIT - Taylor Pendrith grew up getting breaks from golf, putting the clubs away each winter in Canada. That may have helped him when he had to miss nearly four months of competition due to injury this year.
Pendrith shot a 7-under-par 65 on Friday to take a one-shot lead over Tony Finau, who had a 66, into the weekend at the PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Pendrith was at 15-under 129 through 36 holes at Detroit Golf Club. He and Finau had shared the first-round lead at 8 under, and they will be in the final group Saturday, pairing a 31-year-old PGA Tour rookie with a 32-year-old veteran coming off his third career victory.
Pendrith is playing in his third tournament after being unable to swing a club for 12 weeks due to a broken rib, a forced layoff that reminded him of his youth.
"I didn't touch a club all winter basically growing up," he said.
Pendrith said he can compete with the best when he's healthy and has showed that so far at Detroit Golf Club. No one, though, has been better than Finau lately.
The Salt Lake City native with Tongan-Samoan heritage is 32 under over his past 107 holes, including rallying from a five-shot deficit Sunday to win the 3M Open by three shots.
Another rookie, Lee Hodges (66), was third at 12 under, with Stewart Cink (66), Russell Henley (65) and Cameron Young (63) tied for fourth at 10 under.
The six-player jam at 9 under included Chattanooga's Stephan Jaeger, who made four of his seven birdies on the back nine for a 68. The former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga standout was one of three Baylor School graduates in the field, but he's the only one who made the cut, which was at 3 under.
Harris English shot his second straight 71 to miss it by a stroke, while Luke List had a 70 that left him at 2 over.