A hug from wife Amy helped Phil Mickelson get his first round back on track after making a faltering start to his Masters title defence on Thursday.

Mickelson, who was five over par after seven holes, birdied the 15th before rolling in a 30-foot birdie putt on 16 as he completed a four-over 76 on a difficult day for scoring at Augusta National.

The left-hander said he was still in striking distance of the leaders despite a torrid opening when he sprayed drives and missed short putts.

As Mickelson walked off the seventh, where he drove into trees on the left and floated a weak chip 40-feet short of the hole on the way to a bogey, he was encouraged by a hug from his wife.

"To see Amy out there, that was a little morale boost to keep me fighting," he told reporters. "As I was walking up eight I said, 'if I can play under par from here on I can stay in it. I just don't want to shoot myself out the first day'.

SOLID ROUND

"I don't feel as though I've done that even though I didn't play anywhere near where I thought I was capable of playing. If I can get out there tomorrow and shoot a solid round of 68 I can get right back in it."

The American's back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 allowed him to achieve his objective, though he needed to sink a 15-foot putt to save par at the 17th.

"I accomplished a mini-goal," said Mickelson, whose 76 matched his worst round in 15 appearances here.

He said swirling winds and firm, fast greens made scoring tough.

"I thought it was set up very fair. The wind is making it most difficult," said the 36-year-old.

"There are some birdies out there. The par-fives are all birdieable."

Mickelson, whose inability to drive the ball straight cost him the lead on the final hole of last year's U.S. Open, said he was more worried about his putting.

"I missed a bunch of short ones," he said. "You've got to make the short ones."