Reed Saxon / AP

Scott McCarron watches his birdie chip to the ninth green narrowly miss in the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday.

Stricker had a 66 to get into contention, which was important for his psyche.

A month ago, he had the lead at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic on Sunday until the desert wind began raging and Stricker paid for it on the 10th hole — one tee shot out-of-bounds, another in the water, a bunker save for quadruple bogey that ultimate cost him the tournament.

And the next week, he missed the cut, describing his attitude as “down in the dumps.”

But he went home to the now in Wisconsin and returned ready to make amends.

“I’ve had to pick myself up a number of times out here on tour, so I’m used to it,” he said. “You need to move on, and just try to keep doing what you know how to do. And for me, that’s working at it and trying to get better and try to get myself in that position again.”

Geoff Ogilvy, who opened the year with a wire-to-wire victory at Kapalua, had a 67 and was in the group at 7-under 135 that included Mickelson, K.J. Choi (69), Bob Hope winner Pat Perez (66), former Riviera winner Rory Sabbatini (67) and Luke Donald (69).

Armour and Stricker had both posted at 8-under 134 when Mickelson teed off, and he promptly holed a 30-foot eagle putt. But that was among the few highlights.

He found the right side of the par-3 sixth green — the wrong place to be with the pin in the back left and a bunker in the middle of the green — then bogeyed consecutive holes on the back nine.

“Obviously, I’ve got to get things turned around,” he said. “I just couldn’t get it to click. But we’ve got two more days.”