PHIL MICKELSON has confirmed he will again contest this year's Aberdeen Assert Management Scottish Open at Gullane.

Mickelson captured the event in 2013 and a week later travelled to Muirfield to capture golf's oldest major.

"The Scottish Open is again on my schedule and I'm looking forward to playing Gullane," said Mickelson.

"I haven't played the course before but I know exactly where it is. Someone pointed that out to me when I was practising at Muirfield ahead of The Open in [2013].

"And with The Open this year being held at St. Andrews, it's going to be another great fortnight on two great Scottish links courses."

Mickelson posted a one over par 71 on the opening day of the on the PGA National course at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.

Also confirming his Scottish Open appearance was Russell Knox who will again be afforded an invitation given his business deal with the title sponsor.

Knox: "I haven't played Gullane No. since my Scottish Amateur days so it will be great to go back.

"I got bounced out in the first round of the match-play stages but I did have a hole-in-one at the lucky par three, 13th.

"I was playing against Greg McBain from Aberdeen and he had eagled the par five 12th hole and the next hole I made the hole-in-one, so between us we went eagle, eagle.

"So it will be good to go back to Gullane and hopefully it will be a double week in Scotland as the goal is to qualify for The Open at St. Andrews.

"I've played the Old Course about five or six times and it's one of my favourites so two weeks back home playing two huge events would be superb."

Fellow Open Champion Padraig Harrington posted a three-under-par 67 to be just two shots off the clubhouse lead, to rekindle the form that earned him a breakthrough PGA Tour success in the 2005 event.

Harrington birdied two of his closing three holes to play the famed 'Bear Trap' in two under par and in a round that included just 26 putts.