Jason Dufner shoots 65 to take CareerBuilder Challenge lead

His impressive day on the course was good enough to finish tied for 32nd, and he was four behind Jerry Kelly, Jason Dufner, Jeff Overton and Anirban Lahiri for the lead.

Kelly, 49, fired an 8-under-par 64 at La Quinta Country Club, one of three courses in the rotation for the Coachella Valley tournament that was long known as the Bob Hope Classic.

Lahiri had eight birdies in his bogey-free round Thursday, four on the front nine and four on the back nine at the La Quinta Country Club.

Phil Mickelson will make a return to professional golf at the Career Builder Challenge at PGA West’s TPC Stadium Course this week. Four of his birdies came in his last six holes as he vies for his first official tour win since the 2013 PGA Championship.

“My last two years have been disappointing to me”, Mickelson said in a story posted by sponsor KPMG.

On the other two courses, that he plays on next two days, Lahiri said, “Yes, I played the Stadium Course, I went and mapped out the Nicklaus Tournament Course”. “I’ve always been very good with irons, very good on par-4’s, very good with little touch shots and all my touch and feel stuff was not being effective because it wasn’t matching up to my swing plane”. Dye did his best to satisfy developers Ernie Vossler and Joe Walser when they told him to build “the toughest damn course in the world”. Dufner prepared for the new venues before going to Hawaii for the Sony Open.

“It was a fun start to the year”, Mickelson said.

Lahiri said he was “a bit unsure of how I was going to” play because he was “still feeling all the travel coming from” Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he was playing for Team Asia in its 18 1/2-5 1/2 loss to Team Europe in the EurAsia Cup, which concluded Sunday. I got in on Monday afternoon, so I don’t think it was a good idea for me to play 54 before I teed up. “I’m pretty happy with the way I hit it off the tee and didn’t miss a green – so that usually does it for you”.

Americans Colt Knost and Jamie Lovemark are one shot off the lead, while 11 golfers, including defending champion Bill Haas, are tied at six-under-66, two shots off the lead.

McIlroy was one stroke behind early leader Henrik Stenson (65) after rolling in eight birdies in his first appearance after two months off, during which he underwent laser eye surgery.

“I think on Stadium you have to get yourself around without making some big mistakes”.

Despite a 3-under 69, Patrick Reed could rise from his T51 slot into contention with a stronger Friday showing.