PHIL MICKELSON NARROWLY missed out on shooting a round of 59 at the Desert Classic, but the five-time Major winner was happy to settle for a career-low 60 on Thursday.

Mickelson flirted with a first sub-60 score with a masterful display at La Quinta Country Club, before ultimately firing a 12-under par first round to seize control of the PGA Tour event.

The 48-year-old, playing his first round of 2019, produced a flawless masterclass, starting the day birdie-birdie and then going birdie-eagle to move to five-under par.

He picked up another shot on the ninth to go out in a six-under 30, and at the turn birdied four of the first five holes on the back nine.

Mickelson — who was vying to become just the 11th player in PGA Tour history to shoot a sub-60 score — walked off the 18th green with a four-shot lead over Curtis Luck and Adam Long.

“It was kind of a lucky day for me in the sense that I did not feel sharp heading in,” he said afterwards.

“I haven’t really had the intense practice sessions that I would like, but I felt that all parts were okay and it just clicked. Sometimes you have days where it just clicks. Bad shots that I hit, I got away with it… It was a fun day, but I certainly did not expect this to be the case.”

10 birdies.
7 pars.
1 eagle.
0 bogeys.

A masterpiece from @PhilMickelson. 👍#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/WLfbMubxU0

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 17, 2019

Ahead of the final weekend of European pool games, Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey look at what each of the provinces can expect, and who impressed last weekend:

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