With the courses famous greens set to be torn up on Monday as part of an overhaul, it was no surprise to see them running at somewhere approaching maximum speed and naturally this led to some unusual scenes. And who could be surprised that it was Phil Mickelson the maverick 50-year-old, who tried something different to counter the marble-like putting surfaces?

On the460-yard 13th, Mickelson hit a 364 drive into the middle of the fairway - and then elected to play his 78-yard approach with a putter. His effort came up short, but after his six-over 78 he justified his decision.

So the reason I tried to putt was the fairway prior to the green was pitched more severely right to left, and if I used that slope it was going to angle and get the ball working over to the left pin and possibly get close, whereas if I hit a wedge shot and flew it on to the front edge or just short, it wasnt using that extra pitch or contour to get the ball over to the left, he said.

I would have had to settle for a good shot being 12 or 15 right of the hole. I didnt hit it hard enough, but if I had hit that hard enough or the right speed, I think that ball could have gotten close to the hole to a tap-in, whereas a wedge I didnt see that being possible.

On nine-over, Mickelson was doubtless relieved to exit the gates before the horn sounded for a mid-afternoon weather delay and theleft-hander could also console himself in the knowledge that there were other big names who had fared even worse.

Koepka, the world No 6, shot an 80 to finish on 12-over, leaving the four-time major winner outside the top 60. Koepka has suffered what could charitably be termed as a mediocre spell that has seen him record just one top 10 in his last eight starts.

Koepka - who has won four of the last 10 majors in which he has played and who will be going for an historic third successive USPGA crown in three weeks time - underwent stem-cell treatment on a torn patella last year.

The 30-year-old hoped that would be the end of it, but after a scan last week and will now seek a permanent solution. Nothing is improved. Its still the same, Koepka said. So well figure it out.

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Tommy Fleetwood to return to action later this week for first tournament in more than four months - Telegraph.co.uk