THE PARENT TRAP; MICKELSON SHARES LEAD BUT WILL FLY IF FATHERHOOD CALLS.

Byline: Joe Juliano Philadelphia Inquirer 

The U.S. Open is considered the ultimate test of golf and nerve and keeping emotions in check. For Phil Mickelson, it's providing an additional test, a choice between a long-pursued career goal and the ultimate life experience.

On an exciting and different opening day on the No. 2 course of Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, Mickelson on Thursday jammed his way to the top of a crowded leaderboard with a 3-under-par 67, tying him with David Duval, Billy Mayfair and Paul Goydos.

Mickelson's first task after signing his scorecard was to place a call to his home to Scottsdale, Ariz., to check on his wife, Amy, who is expecting the couple's first child on June 30.

Mickelson has won 13 events and more than $7.5 million in his eight years on the tour. He yearns for his first major championship, an achievement that has eluded him time and again. Yet he is excited about the arrival of his first child and won't let anything block his involvement in that occasion.

For him, the choice is a no-brainer. Two weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament, Mickelson declared: ``If I had a 5-shot lead on Sunday at the Open and my wife went into labor, no question I'm home.''

He reiterated that intention Thursday. Forget that this might be a U.S. Open that Mickelson can win because of its emphasis on the short game, an area where the left-hander excels like few in golf. He's got the beeper handy, and the plane is waiting in nearby Southern Pines to take him home.

``That's something I don't want to miss,'' he said of the impending birth. ``I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be there, whereas the U.S. Open takes place every year. That's just the way I've tended to look at it.''

Mickelson's caddie is carrying the beeper. A cell phone - turned off, of course - is in his bag. The owner of a pilot's license, he and another pilot will fly the plane to Arizona.

``I figure I'll be about five hours and 15 minutes from the time I get the beep to the time I arrive at the hospital,'' he said. ``We have a little code in case someone calls in accidentally. If she punches in that code, I'm getting out. I'm getting a car as soon as I can and getting to the airport.''

Duval, the world's No. 1 player, played in the day's seventh group with Mickelson and matched his 67. He was later joined at that number by Mayfair, like Mickelson a former U.S. Amateur champion and Scottsdale resident, and Goydos.

The quintet at 68 included Tiger Woods and John Daly, who has missed the cut or withdrawn in five of his last six tournaments. They were joined by Payne Stewart, last year's Open runner-up, Sylmar's David Berganio Jr., and Japan's Kaname Yokoo.

Judging from the scores, the players seemed to enjoy the conditions. It rained for the third consecutive day, which kept the fairways and greens soft. The manageable rough and shaved-down areas around the greens were different than in previous Opens.

But no one got his score as low as 4 under all day. The sun broke through about 4 p.m., and forecasters promised it would stay around for the next three days, meaning firmer conditions, faster greens and certainly higher scores.

``Obviously the course is playing as easy as it can with the greens being as soft as they are,'' said Mickelson. ``But yet it's a tribute to how difficult the course is in that there aren't any really low scores. I think we're going to be in for a long weekend if the greens were to dry out.''

Drier conditions perhaps would mean more separation among the contestants. The day ended with 66 players within five strokes of the foursome at 67. The 36-hole cut includes players within 10 shots of the lead, and if the trend holds, the course will be crowded this weekend.

``The firmer the golf course gets, the more the guys who are playing well will separate themselves,'' Goydos said.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERS

Pinehurst, N.C., par 70

David Duval 34-33-67 -3

Phil Mickelson 34-33-67 -3

Billy Mayfair33-34-67 -3

Paul Goydos 34-33-67 -3

David Berganio 34-34-68 -2

Kaname Yokoo 32-36-68 -2

Tiger Woods 36-32-68 -2

Payne Stewart 34-34-68 -2

John Daly 32-36-68 -2

Others

Justin Leonard  35-34-69 -1

Vijay Singh 35-34-69 -1

Davis Love III  36-34-70 E

Nick Price 37-34-71 +1

Mark O'Meara 35-36-71 +1

Colin Montgomerie 37-35-72 +2

Ernie Els 37-35-72 +2

Fred Couples 37-36-73 +3

Greg Norman 37-36-73 +3

Jack Nicklaus 39-39-78 +8

AT A GLANCE

A look at the first round of the U.S. Open, played on the 7,175-yard, par-70 Pinehurst No. 2 course:

LEADING

David Duval, the world's top-ranked player, shot a 3-under-par 67 and was tied for the lead with Phil Mickelson, Billy Mayfair and Paul Goydos.

CHASING

Tiger Woods and John Daly were one shot off the lead. The group at 1 under included Vijay Singh, Justin Leonard, Jim Furyk and Hal Sutton. Davis Love fired a 70.

KEY STATISTIC

The last time as many as four players were tied for the lead after the first round was 1984, when Mike Donald, Hubert Green, Hale Irwin and Jim Thorpe shot 2-under 68 at Winged Foot. Thorpe turned out to the highest finisher among that group, tying for fourth behind winner Fuzzy Zoeller, Greg Norman and Curtis Strange.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

``It's not worth the tournament,'' said Mickelson, vowing to return home if his pregnant wife, Amy, goes into labor. ``As important as the U.S. Open is to me and every other player in the field, this is the birth of my first child.''

TV: Today: 8 a.m.-noon (ESPN); noon-2 p.m. (Ch. 4); 2-3:30 p.m. (ESPN). Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (Ch. 4).

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, 3 Boxes

Photo: (1--Color) Co-leader Phil Mickelson has more on his mind than golf, waPiting for word his wife has gone into labor.

(2) John Daly, who hasn't made a cut since March, was as surprised as anyone that he was just one shot off the lead at 2-under 68.

Doug Mills/Associated Press

Box: (1) FIRST-ROUND LEADERS

(2) AT A GLANCE (See text)

(3) FIRST-ROUND SCORES