LUSS, Scotland (AP) -- Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Alexander Noren of Sweden shot 7-under 64s Thursday to share the lead after the first round of the Barclays Scottish Open on the European Tour.

Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els both returned from three-week breaks and failed to break par in this tune-up before the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, which begins July 17.

Mickelson finished with a 71 and Els had a 1-over 72.

"The golf course was ideal for scoring, soft with lift, clean and place. I just didn't get the ball in the hole," Mickelson said. "I thought I hit a lot of good shots but I didn't capitalize with my putts and let a good round slide a little bit.

"A 65 or 66 didn't feel that far away and hopefully tomorrow I can get back in it," he said.

Els joked about not even turning up for Friday's second round.

"Right now I shouldn't even play tomorrow. That's how I feel," he said.

"I played some good stuff and some bad stuff," he said. "I had a bad shot on four, made double then a bogey on five. Then I played well but lipped out for birdie on 15 to get to 2 under.

Thongchai made four straight birdies on the front nine at Loch Lomond and then birdied the last two holes after overnight rain delayed the start of play by 90 minutes.

The 2007 U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera, was third after a 65.

Thongchai, who sunk a 25-footer on the seventh hole, said putting was the key.

"I have been putting very badly for six months and I worked a lot with my coach over the last three days," he said. "We moved the ball in the stance and it was much better today.

"Otherwise, I drove the ball well and missed only two fairways, and my irons were working."

Thongchai has a prolapsed disc at the base of his back that requires constant monitoring, and he will return home for treatment if he doesn't qualify for next week's Open Championship.

He played only two events in a 15-week period this year and missed the cut in both, working instead to strengthen his back by swimming and stretching.

Cabrera, who missed the cut last month in defense of his U.S. Open title, didn't drop a shot in his 65.

"I fought hard to keep it around par and if I go out tomorrow and have a good round, I should be able to get right back in it for the weekend."

Niclas Fasth, Garry Houston and John Bickerton were on 66, while a large group on 67 included Lee Westwood, who was third in the U.S. Open, 2004 champion Thomas Levet and 2006 winner Johan Edfors.

Westwood said his form continues to be good.

"It has been good all year, especially at the U.S. Open, and I'm a bit disappointed I haven't won," Westwood said.

Colin Montgomerie, the 1999 champion, shot 69 after bogeys at his 16th and 17th holes, the seventh and eighth.

The Scot hopes to make this year's Ryder Cup team but, even if he fails, plans to try to make the 2010 and 2012 teams before captaining Europe at Gleneagles in 2014.

Third-ranked Adam Scott, playing with a hand injury sustained before the U.S.Open, had a triple bogey 7 on his first hole on the way to a 72.

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