Phil Mickelson in Rare Form During Late Round-1 Surge at 2013 Masters

Phil Mickelson's first-round performance at the Masters can be summed up in 10 words. 

It's not about how you start, it's how you finish. 

After bogeying three straight holes on the front nine before even teeing off at No. 8, Mickelson looked every bit like the nervous golfer he was describing to reporters on Wednesday before the tournament began (via Helen Ross of PGATour.com).

As rare as Mickelson's nerves were on Wednesday afternoon, he matched the rarity with a scintillating performance to close out the start of his 22nd appearance at Augusta. 

As he rounded the back nine, the three-time Masters champ caught fire in the final few holes, birdieing four of five holes from No. 12 to No. 16 and pushing his name into early contention behind current co-leaders Marc Leishman and Sergio Garcia (six-under par, pending results of golfers still on the course). 

Mickelson has finished inside the top 10 a remarkable 14 times at Augusta in his professional golf career, and he's one of the favorites to bring home the green jacket on Sunday at the 2013 event. 

He made that clear on the back nine on Thursday. 

Lefty got going early, posting a birdie on the par-five No. 2, but then the Phil Mickelson roller coaster shifted into high gear. 

Mickelson bogeyed holes No. 3, 5 and 7, pushing his total to two over before ESPN could even pick up his broadcasting feed. Phil has had up-and-down first-round scores throughout his career at this event, posting low scores (1996, 2001, 2010) and putting up the occasional clunker on Day 1 (2003, 2009, 2012), making it almost impossible to gauge his performance in the early going. 

The kind of inconsistency he produces on a hole-to-hole basis is almost astounding. However, if we've learned anything about Mickelson at Augusta, it's that he thrives the most when things are going the worst. 

It's just the way Mickelson plays at this course. 

Storming back with a flurry of birdie putts in the final few holes, Mickelson looked poised to join Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Brandt Snedeker at two under, but he fell victim to a bogey on No. 17 before saving par at No. 18 to conclude his day with a 71. 

After his four-birdie-in-five-hole stint, Mickelson appeared to tweak his back on No. 17. There has been no official report of what happened or if he will need treatment before Friday's second round, but it is worth noting that the 17th hole was Mickelson's first bad hole since he got hot in the middle of the back nine. 

As it is, Mickelson finished with a one-under 71, good for a five-stroke deficit and a place with Luke Donald, Jason Dufner, Ernie Els and Angel Cabrera, all tied for 23rd. 

Despite the bogey on No. 17, we were treated to a performance by Lefty that rivals some of his greatest rounds at Augusta. The scorecard won't show it, but to shoot a 71 and be under par at the conclusion of this day after some of his driver and approach work is truly astounding. 

Instead of being on the cut line, Mickelson can compose himself, check out whatever seemed to phase him on the 17th and get ready for the second round without the pressure of having to treat it like a Sunday. 

Then again, maybe treating each round like a Sunday is what brings out the best in Phil. 

He was clearly in rare form on the back nine on Thursday, treating us to what it looks like to have your back against a wall and fight back. Phil finished with five birdies and four bogeys in an up-and-down day, but he had a three-under performance to close out his day, keeping him within striking distance the rest of the way. 

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