HOYLAKE, England (CP-AP) _ Mike Weir is in good position at the British Open.
Despite two early bogeys, the left-hander from Bright's Grove, Ont., rallied Thursday to post six birdies and join Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and a host of others at 4-under 68 at Royal Liverpool, one shot back of clubhouse leader Greg Owen of England.
``A good round,'' Weir told TNT television.
``I was not quite in my game early on and made a couple of nice putts to keep it going.''
Owen, 34, took five weeks off to deal with a sore back before playing in last week's Scottish Open, where he tied for 14th. The back is still bothering him, but not enough to stop him from climbing atop a crowded leaderboard that featured an assortment of unknowns and big names.
``I was lacking a bit of form coming in here,'' said Owen, a PGA Tour regular best known for blowing a final-round lead at Bay Hill this year when he three-putted from three feet and lipped out a 12-footer that would have forced a playoff.
Phil Mickelson carded a 3-under 69.
Bouncing back from a stunning collapse at the last major, Mickelson also got off to a good start with an eagle at the fifth hole and a prominent spot on the leaderboard in the early going.
Marcus Fraser of Australia, SK Ho of South Korea and Finland's Mikko Illonen were among the clubhouse leaders, taking advantage of benign conditions after overnight rain.
Mickelson was right on their heels. He knocked his approach to four feet to set up a birdie at the first, rolled in a 12-footer for eagle at the par-5 fifth, and made another birdie at No. 7 that pushed his score to three under approaching the turn.
If not for a calamitous final hole at the U.S. Open last month, Lefty could have come to the British Open with a chance to join defending champion Tiger Woods as the only players to hold all four professional majors at the same time.
Mickelson won the PGA Championship last year, and followed with his second Masters title in April. He had the lead going to the 72nd hole at Winged Foot, but an errant tee shot led to double bogey when a par would have given him his third straight major win.
While admitting he would never forget what happen, Mickelson vowed to learn from the experience when he got to the British Open, the major that has always given him the most trouble. He has only one top 10 in 13 previous trips across the Atlantic, missing a playoff by one shot at Royal Troon two years ago.
The opening round began a half-hour behind schedule at Royal Liverpool, the historic links along the Irish Sea that is hosting the tournament for the first time since 1967. Overnight showers dampened the course, which was baked all week by sweltering heat, and thunder kept everyone in the clubhouse for an extra 30 minutes.
The sun broke through at midmorning, the skies turned blue and there was hardly any breeze to toughen things up.
Mark Hensby of Australia, who made a triple bogey at No. 3, joined those at 4-under with eight birdies over the next 13 holes.
Tiger Woods, who won at St. Andrews a year ago for his second Open title, and Canadian Stephen Ames had afternoon tee times.
