Luss, Scotland ? Phil Mickelson found his ball in deep grass at the base of a large tree, some 30 yards left of the ninth fairway at Loch Lomond, but he hardly looked concerned Thursday in the Scottish Open.

Stretching his hands over his head as he waited for a rules official – a young lad accidentally picked up his ball and dropped it – Mickelson searched for a way out and wound up making par on his way to a 4-under 67.

It left him three shots behind co-leaders Angel Cabrera and Stuart Little, but in a good frame of mind about his game for the rest of the week and into the British Open.

“I actually have been hitting good shots. I’m playing OK,” Mickelson said. “I hit a couple of shots I was lucky to get away with. I kept it in play with one or two exceptions, and I was able to make a couple of birdies coming in.”

Mickelson, one of only three Americans at the Scottish Open, prefers to play the week before a major to get into a competitive spirit

“It’s getting into contention and getting comfortable in contention,” he said. “The feeling of being in contention in a major championship is much greater, and I don’t want it to feel foreign if and when I get into contention.”