Projecting Phil Mickelson's Day 2 Score at 2013 Masters

Phil Mickelson's bid for a fourth green jacket got off to a rocky start at the 2013 Masters Tournament. However, the veteran overcame that sluggish beginning with four birdies on the back nine to post a round of one-under 71.

Mickelson is five strokes behind co-leaders Marc Leishman and Sergio Garcia, but there were plenty of positive signs for Mickelson on Thursday—particularly with regard to his ball-striking.

So, what can we expect from Phil the Thrill on the second day of action at Augusta National?

To figure that out, the best place to start is by further dissecting Mickelson's first 18 holes, which were a mostly up-and-down ordeal.

Surprisingly, Mickelson's putter let him down significantly in Round 1, as he had 34 putts on the afternoon. That makes it all the more impressive that he didn't shoot himself out of the tournament, considering how vital success on the greens is to contend at the year's first major.

Mickelson hit 15 out of 18 greens in regulation, and it was only a matter of time before the putts started falling. The aforementioned hot stretch on his second nine confirms that assertion.

Shane Bacon of Yahoo! picked Mickelson to win the Masters earlier this week and logged the confident golfer's comments after the opening round:

It makes sense that Mickelson is eager to get back on the course in the context of his hot finish. If he can cut his putts by about four or five—which is reasonable considering his typical short-game prowess—that should significantly improve the bottom-line number Mickelson posts Friday.

Perhaps it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, but Mickelson confirmed what he said to the media on Tuesday with his play on the course in the early going at Augusta:

"

I'm nervous because I haven't been in competition since the Sunday of the Houston Open...It will be 10, 11 days, I guess, and that's what I'm nervous about.

It's always a challenge those first five or six holes when you haven't been in competition to be really mentally focused and sharp.

"

No matter how good a player is and how much success he has had at Augusta in the past, everyone has some butterflies fluttering around in his stomach during his initial stroll down Magnolia Lane. Now that Mickelson has had a taste of competition at one of his favorite venues, he should rally back with a wonderful score in Round 2.

The setup is likely to be adjusted slightly due to the relatively easy scoring conditions that characterized Round 1. However, overnight thunderstorms are expected (h/t NBC 26), which should still make the greens receptive.

For a player as aggressive as Mickelson, softened surfaces should lend to plenty of pin-seeking and birdies.

Look for him to reach the pace established by Leishman and Garcia, which should leave Mickelson only about two or three shots off the pace entering moving day.

Prediction: Six birdies, two bogeys and a round of four-under 68.