Lee, Perez share lead in Texas

SAN ANTONIO (AP) ― Long after the fog cleared at TPC San Antonio, Phil Mickelson remained shrouded in an increasingly alarming funk with the Masters two weeks away.

Mickelson shot a 5-over 77 on Thursday in the Texas Open to fall nine strokes back during the suspended first round. The 77 was Lefty’s highest score since a 78 in August in the PGA Championship.

“I had been playing real well at home, so to come out and play like this is disappointing,” Mickelson said. “Just didn’t feel quite sharp.”

In his previous two starts, Mickelson missed the cut in the Honda Classic and tied for 16th three weeks ago at Doral in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. He made his only other Texas Open appearance in 1992, so long ago that the event was only his 11th professional start on the PGA Tour.

Pat Perez and Danny Lee shot 4-under 68 to share the clubhouse lead and Andrew Loupe was 4 under with seven holes to play when darkness forced the suspension of play. The start was delayed 2 hours, 40 minutes because of fog, and 45 players were unable to finish the round.

Area resident Cameron Beckman, Puerto Rico Open winner Chesson Hadley, Will McKenzie and Noh Seung-yul shot 69, and Miguel Angel Carballo and Justin Hicks also were 3 under. Carballo had four left, and Hicks three.

Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar shot 70.

Defending champion Martin Laird opened with a 72, matching Valspar winner John Senden and Jeff Maggert, a winner last week in Mississippi in his Champions Tour debut.

Ernie Els shot 74, and former Texas star Jordan Spieth had a 75.

Area resident Jimmy Walker had a 76. He has a tour-high three victories this season, winning the Frys.com Open, Sony Open and Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Mickelson hit half of the greens in regulation on the Greg Norman-designed T&T Oaks Course, bogeyed three of the four par 3s and closed with a double bogey on the par-4 ninth.

“I didn’t putt well,” said Mickelson, who had 17 putts on the second nine that he played in 4-over 40. “I had a couple of three-putts that hurt. Iron play wasn’t great. I didn’t drive it bad, until that last hole.”

On the 462-yard ninth, his drive sailed so far right he hit a provisional. He didn’t need it, but it took him three to find the green and he ended up three-putting, missing from 10 and 2 feet.

Creamer, Uribe share Kia lead CARLSBAD, California (AP) ― Paula Creamer easily overcame tricky morning wind conditions Thursday in the Kia Classic for a share of the first-round lead with Mariajo Uribe.

Creamer and Uribe shot 5-under 67 at Aviara to finish a stroke ahead of Cristie Kerr, Shanshan Feng, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Lee Mi-hyang.

“It was swirling a lot,” Creamer said about the wind. “It was pretty inconsistent at spots out there, but you just kind of have to trust your wind map or trust and see what’s going on out there.”

A playoff winner March 2 in Singapore, Creamer had six birdies and bogeyed the par-4 15th ― her sixth hole of the day ― after her approach plugged in the face of a bunker.

“I played pretty solid,” Creamer said. “I had one bogey, but I gave myself a bunch of opportunities and putted really well, made some good two-putts. I think it’s an advantage playing early in the morning and I wanted to take that advantage.”

In Singapore, she made a breaking, downhill 75-foot eagle putt on the second extra hole to beat Azahara Munoz.

“It’s funny,” Creamer said before the round. “Every time I walk down the putting green, (players) go, ‘Oh, the green’s not big enough for you.’”

The victory ended a 79-event drought dating to the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open.

“It’s beneficial any time to win, but for me, it definitely has made this season, a lot sweeter, that’s for sure,” Creamer said. “It’s made me believe even more in what we’re doing with my golf swing. All those hard times that I’ve been struggling with the last couple of years, it just kind of puts a cap to it and all and just shows what perseverance is all about.”

Europe leads 7-3 after 2 days KUALA LUMPUR (AP) ― Asia had two wins and two halves in the five foursomes matches at the EurAsia Cup on Friday, with Europe needing a late rally in the other match to hold a 7-3 lead after two days at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.

Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand and South Korea’s Kim Hyung-sung had a 4 and 3 win over the Danish pair of Thomas Bjorn and Thorjorn Olesen in the first result of the day. Then Anirban Lahiri and Siddikur Rahman closed out a 1-up victory over Joost Luiten and Victor Dubuisson after Asia led 2-up with two to play.

Europe, which led 5-0 after winning all fourball matches Thursday, then gained two halves before Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson combined to give the visitors their only full point of day two.