Dein erstes Forum » Johansen and Fedor Tyutin had a goal and an assist. Co

HUMBLE, Texas -- Phil Mickelson did more than prove to just himself that hes ready for next weeks Masters on Thursday. The five-time major winner showed to everyone that hes fully recovered from last weeks muscle pull and likely to be a factor in this weeks Houston Open as well. Without so much as a practice round this week at the 7,441-yard Golf Club of Houston, Mickelson opened with a 4-under par 68 and was among the leaders following Thursdays opening round. The bogey-free performance was a far cry from last week when Mickelson was forced to withdraw during the third round in San Antonio after pulling a muscle in his right side "Im surprised because I was worried about the Masters," Mickelson said. "I was certainly worried about Houston, but it healed a lot quicker. I felt great today; didnt feel any pain or discomfort and didnt even think about it." Mickelson is three shots back of first-round co-leaders Bill Haas and Charley Hoffman, both who finished at 7 under. Hass had five birdies on his back nine, while Hoffman needed just 27 putts to earn a share of the lead. Keegan Bradley and Matt Kuchar lead a group of five golfers at 6 under. J.B. Holmes, Erik Compton and Jim Renner are also at 6 under, with 10 golfers are at 5 under. Of the 144 players in the field, 113 finished at even par or under on an overcast and occasionally misty day. "The greens are absolutely perfect," Haas said. "... I think the scores are reflective on that. They were a little slower, but part of that, too, is the weather. It was like a little dewy mist out there all day, which played a part in the speed of the greens." Mickelson and Bradley were part of a threesome with Webb Simpson, who also finished 4 under. All three players in the group navigated the course without a bogey in their morning rounds. Former world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, playing in the afternoon and one of the five top-10 players in the world in the tournament, finished with a 2-under 70. While Haas and Hoffman shared the lead after Thursdays play, it was Mickelson -- who was forced to withdraw during last weeks third round in San Antonio after pulling a muscle in his right side -- who was the centre of attention leading into next week at Augusta National. Mickelson has won the Masters three times, the latest coming in 2010, but his status was in doubt following last weeks injury. The left-hander, however, underwent treatment in the days following his departure from San Antonio -- along with fitting in two days of light practice at Augusta National -- and appeared in top ball-striking form on Thursday. "One of the things I really worked on hard today was staying focused on each shot," Mickelson said. "... I needed to play here this week and really challenge myself in that regard to give myself the best chance for next week." Opening on the back nine at the former Redstone Golf Club, which was renamed the Gold Club of Houston following an ownership change, Mickelson was bogey free despite needing 31 putts. He made the turn at 2 under following a 16-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th, and he birdied both of the par 5s on his back nine to put himself squarely in contention. Mickelson won the Houston Open in 2011, and the courses Masters-like setup -- including slick greens and tight rough -- is a key reason hes returned every year since. "He was striking it, he was hitting it long and great," Bradley said of Mickelson. "... He seems like it was feeling a lot better today than it was in San Antonio." Kuchar, who finished tied for fourth at last weeks Texas Open, had three straight birdies in the middle of his round on Thursday -- highlighted by a 47-foot birdie putt on the 445-yard par-4 second hole. McIlroy, one of five of the top 10 players in the world in the field, was as low as 3 under before a pair of bogeys on the back nine. World No. 10 Dustin Johnson withdrew following an opening 8-over par 80. Abraham Almonte Jersey . Basketball fans around the globe will be watching as Kobe Bryant makes his season debut - 240 days after tearing his left Achilles - against Toronto, a team he has used as his own personal punching bag. Taijuan Walker Jersey . Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-curt-schilling-jersey/ . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Steven Souza Diamondbacks Jersey . But last years runner-up Jarkko Nieminen crashed out despite winning the first set against Denis Istomin. Istomin fired 10 aces and won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to even his career record against Nieminen at 3-3. Taijuan Walker Diamondbacks Jersey . He never mentioned anything about his hitting. The 33-year-old right-hander had success with both Sunday, pitching six solid innings and helping the offence-starved Mets with an RBI single as New York salvaged a doubleheader split with a 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.The first and second picks from the 2012 NHL Entry Draft are on display this evening when the Edmonton Oilers try to secure their sixth straight home victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Oilers selected Nail Yakupov first overall in 2012, making Ryan Murray available to the Blue Jackets. Murray has two goals and two assists with a plus- three rating in 20 games for the Blue Jackets this season. Yakupov, who is in his second season while Murray lost his 2012-13 season to shoulder surgery, has three goals and three assists with a minus- 14 rating through 20 games. Devan Dubnyk is likely to get the start in goal for the Oilers tonight. Ilya Bryzgalov became a free agent when he had the final six years of an eight-year, $51 million deal bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers. He went 33-16-7 with a 2.48 goals against average and six shutouts in 59 games during his first season with the Flyers, but was just 19-17-3 with a 2.79 GAA in 40 games last season. Signed by the Oilers on Nov. 8, Bryzgalov made two starts with the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League with mixed results. He gave up five goals on 28 shots in the first game before notching 25 saves in a 4-1 victory the second time out. Edmonton recalled Bryzgalov from his conditioning stint and he practiced with the Oilers on Monday after backup netminder Jason LaBarbera was placed on waivers. Despite his appearance, it didnt sound like Bryz will get the start tonight. "Im comfortable when (Bryzgalovs) comfortable," said Oilers coach Dallas Eakins of when his new netminder will play. "A lot of this will have to do with if (Dubnyk) can keep rolling like he is. If Dubs keeps going lights out, then he stays in the net." Dubnyk has been far from lights out this season, going 4-10-1 with a 3.54 GAA in 16 games, but has allowed just six goals over his last three games and notched 33 saves in a 4-2 win over Calgary on Saturday that snapped Edmontons five-game losing streak. TThe Oilers trailed by two goals going into the third period, but got tallies from Boyd Gordon, Jordan Eberle, Ales Hemsky and David Perron to win for just the second time in 12 games.dddddddddddd "Finally in the third period, I thought we had some responses early that our group needed," said Eakins. "This is one that we will certainly try to take home and feel good about ourselves." The Oilers will play their next three at home and have won five straight and 10 of their last 12 games in Edmonton against Columbus. The Blue Jackets have lost seven of the past 10 overall in this series. Dubnyk is 6-3-2 with a 2.40 GAA lifetime versus Columbus. The Blue Jackets are coming off a victory, having bested the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Sunday. Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves, while both Ryan Johansen and Fedor Tyutin had a goal and an assist. Columbus, which went 3-for-5 on the power play, also got goals from R.J. Umberger and Derek MacKenzie. The Jackets had lost three straight -- all past regulation -- and eight of nine coming in. "We got some great play from our leaders and all four lines worked well," said Columbus head coach Todd Richards. "We had great goaltending, the defense looked good, theres lots of things you can look at to see why we won this game." Columbus won the opener of a five-game swing, snapping a six-game losing streak on the road, and Bobrovsky came 2:27 away from the shutout. He should start tonight and is 2-2-0 with a 2.16 GAA in his career versus the Oilers. Bobrovsky backed up Bryzgalov for a season in Philadelphia before getting dealt to Columbus prior to the lockout-shortened campaign. He went 21-11-6 with a 2.00 GAA and four shutouts with the Blue Jackets, winning the Vezina Trophy. Oilers line-up: Forwards Hall Nugent-Hopkins EberleYakupov Gagner HemskySmyth Gordon PerronJoensu Acton Gazdic Defence Ference Petry Belov J. Schultz N. Schultz Potter Goaltender Dubnyk ' ' '