Phil Mickelson wasted no time firing up fans with birdies on the opening two holes. Then came a sliced tee shot into the water and a nearly four-putt green. He birdied two of the last three holes.

A typical round for one of golf's most unpredictable stars.

Returning to work for the first time since disclosing last month that his wife has breast cancer, Mickelson got off to a solid start in the St. Jude Classic at Memphis, Tenn., with a 2-under 68 that left him four shots behind Brian Gay.

Mickelson wore a pink ribbon stitched into the side of his white cap and at times looked fatigued.

"It wasn't a great round, but it was a good start," Mickelson said. "It was fun to play a little bit."

Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time Masters champion recently elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, was the day's surprise. Still coping with arthritis pain, the Spaniard shot a 66 to finish in a group that included Rich Beem and Graeme McDowell.

John Daly's comeback was for vastly different reasons, and the result not quite the same.

He played on the PGA Tour for the first time since a six-month suspension for off-course activities that brought unwanted publicity. Daly opened with eight straight pars and a birdie, but his putter failed him miserably. He followed with three straight bogeys for a 72.

"Probably the worst I've putted in five years," Daly said, wearing a neon green shirt that matched his argyle pants of green and yellow.

Hawai'i's Dean Wilson, a Castle High and BYU alum, opened with a 73, while Punahou and UCLA alum Parker McLachlin struggled to a 74.

NFL

EAGLES' MCNABB GETS RAISE IN NEW CONTRACT

Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to restructure the final two years of his contract it was announced last night.

McNabb's new deal is worth $24.5 million over the next two seasons, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

A "significant" portion of McNabb's base salary for 2010 also is guaranteed, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because terms of the deal were not released.

The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback was due to make $19.2 million over the next two seasons.

COLLEGE

ALABAMA FOOTBALL, 15 OTHER SPORTS NABBED

The NCAA has placed Alabama's football program and 15 other of the school's athletic teams on three years probation for major violations due to misuse of free textbooks.

The NCAA's Committee on Infractions said yesterday the football team must vacate an unspecified number of wins in which any of seven players took part during 2005-2007. The university identified the seven as "intentional wrongdoers."

The NCAA said that 201 student-athletes in the 16 sports, including men's basketball, obtained "impermissible benefits" by using their scholarships to obtain free textbooks for other students. It also found the university guilty of "failure to monitor."

The university was ordered to pay a $43,900 fine.

TRACK AND FIELD

BOLT CRUISES IN 100; CLAY WINS EXHIBITION

Usain Bolt was plenty good enough to win, even if he didn't flash his world-record breaking form.

Bolt beat three Americans last night to win the 100 meters at the Festival of Excellence meet in Toronto.

The Olympic champion from Jamaica finished in 10.00 seconds. American Shawn Crawford was second in 10.25, Ivory Williams third in 10.28, and Bernard Williams was fourth in 10.47.

American Bryan Clay, a Castle High alum and gold medal winner in the decathlon in Beijing, competed in a three-event format including pole vault, 100-meter hurdles and the 400 meters. Clay won the event over American Jake Arnold.