Mickelson to Defend Pebble Beach Title

PEBBLE BEACH, California (Ticker) -- Phil Mickelson has been close to victory in two starts this season and he will be favored to break through when he tees it up at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am starting Thursday.

The world's second-ranked player, Mickelson is coming off a loss in a playoff at the FBR Open on Sunday. He tied for sixth at the Buick Invitational and rallied from four-shots off the pace on Sunday before losing to J.B. Holmes. Despite coming up empty in his first two events, Mickelson has been on his game. Five of his last six rounds have been 68 or better and he is coming to the perfect event to keep his hot streak going. "I played OK in my first week and I played better in Phoenix," Mickelson said. "I feel like my game is improving. "I'm looking forward to Pebble. I feel like I'm starting to play better each round as the year goes on and I expect to improve my play this week, too."

The defending champion, Mickelson has won this event three times. Last year he was tied for the lead after each of the first three rounds before firing a closing 66 to finish five strokes clear of Kevin Sutherland. Mickelson also still is reeling from coming up short last week. "It's disappointing because that tournament has a special place in my heart and I love playing there," said Mickelson, an Arizona native. "I love coming out and doing well and I would have loved to have won it again." Tiger Woods is skipping the event after winning his second straight tournament of the season in Dubai on Sunday. That leaves Mickelson as the highest-ranked player in the field and he will be joined by Davis Love III, reigning British Open champion Padraig Harrington, Jim Furyk, Holmes and Vijay Singh. First prize at the $6 million event is $1.080 million.