BY Hank Gola
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Masters champ Phil Mickelson ran out of gas, not confidence, in the first round of the Quail Hollow Championship Thursday.

In fact, he's looking at his getting sick as "a good omen."

"I've had some good fortune when I haven't felt well in the past," said Mickelson, who was treated for dehydration with 2-1/2 IV bags after pulling out of Wednesday's Pro Am. "I'm 2-for-2. The last two times I've fainted and woken up in a pool of vomit, I've won. As I'm laying there on the floor wondering where I am, a good omen came over me.

"I fully expect to play well (today) and give myself a chance over the weekend."

Mickelson was tied for fourth at 4-under after he birdied the par-5 15th. But that's where he began to lose energy as he walked up the hill, trailing his playing partners who were already on the green.

It wasn't good timing. Quail Hollow's last three holes, known as the Green Mile, are as difficult a finishing stretch as there is on the PGA Tour.

Mickelson hit a weak approach shot to the left of No. 16 but saved par. Then he bogeyed the 17th with a 3-putt and the 18th after hitting a chip short. At 2-under 70, he was in a tie for 15th, five out of the lead.

"Again, it doesn't matter," he said. "It only matters what you shoot. I shot a couple under par today, which is a good opening round."

Mickelson took ill on the eve of the final round at the CA Championship at Doral last year and at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in 2001, winning both. Those were both cases of food poisoning. He doesn't quite know what happened this time. He said he just woke up feeling sick Wednesday morning.

"It's just a weird deal," he said. "I don't quite have the energy yet but I think this weekend I'll feel great. Like I said, I think it helps me play better. I think it helps me pace myself and not get ahead. I don't get too far ahead of the round. I take it one shot at a time ... and I seem to play better."

While the morning scores were low, Mickelson tried not to get too excited when he teed off in the afternoon.

"Sometimes when you see those low scores you might tend to press. Today that was the last thing on my mind," he said. "I usually like to look at the leaderboard. I did not look too much today. I was more concerned about just kind of pacing myself and keeping my energy level up enough to finish the round."