GEORGE SWEDA
PLAIN DEALER REPORTER

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Phil Mickelson came into the 85th PGA Championship very much under the radar. For one of the rare times in recent years, he wasn't brought into the media center of a major championship for a pre-tournament interview.

A 4-under-par 66 and a share of the first-round lead yesterday at Oak Hill Country Club earned him the trip, but Mickelson preferred to avoid the limelight and instead talked about his round outside the scoring trailer.

In a year when he's been the second-best left-handed golfer in the world, Mickelson again appears to have a chance to shed the dreaded " best golfer in the world never to win a major" label.

At 66, he's tied with Australian Rod Pampling, who, playing in his first PGA, shot at bogey-free 33-33.

His 15 minutes of fame came in the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie, Scotland, where he led the first round after a par 71, but missed the cut after a second round 86.

A marquee pairing of the three most recent PGA winners produced little in the way of challengers. Defending champion Rich Beem shot an 82, hitting just four fairways and six greens with no birdies, six bogeys and three double-bogeys.

The 2001 champion, David Toms, shot a 75, an two time winner Tiger Woods bogeyed his last hole for a 74, hitting just five fairways and seven greens. It was Woods' worst start in seven PGAs.

"I didn't drive very well, and I put myself under a lot of pressure because of it," Woods said.

Beem's start was the worst ever by a defending champion since the PGA went to a stroke-play format in 1958.

Alone at 67 is Billy Andrade, a 15-year PGA Tour veteran and the next-to-last player to make the field. His career-best finish in a major is a tie for sixth at the 1992 U.S. Open.

Two back of the leaders are Lee Janzen, who has not won since his second U.S. Open victory in 1998, and Masters champion Mike Weir. Weir played with 2003 major champions Jim Furyk, the U.S. Open winner, and British Open winner Ben Curtis, a Stow resident. Furyk shot 72 and Curtis shot 75.

"They were great players and they don't make too many mental mistakes, and that's what it takes in a major," Curtis said after his first career round in the PGA and just his fifth in a major. "Be patient and just focus on on the shot at hand. They do that well and I'll learn from them and keep learning."