Mickelson continues hot form with 62

Phil Mickelson continued his blistering form by firing a tournament record 10-under-par 62 to race three shots clear of the field after the first round of the $5.3 million Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Thursday.

The U.S. Masters champion, fresh from a five-stroke victory at last week's Phoenix Open which included a course record-equalling 11-under 60, carried his momentum to California's Monterey Peninsula.

Mickelson, who won the Pebble Beach title in 1998, produced a bogey-free round in perfect conditions at Spyglass Hill golf club, one of three courses being used this week.

Charles Howell III, Davis Love III, Hunter Mahan, Kevin Sutherland and Sweden's Daniel Chopra were tied for second place on seven-under 65.

Spyglass Hill is rated the toughest of the three courses being used in a rotation that includes the Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hill.

"I've been playing some good golf, I'm really pleased with my score today," said Mickelson, who also shot a 59 at the Grand Slam of Golf in Hawaii in November. "It's a fun way to get started.

"I played very well last week, had a great week in Phoenix, and shooting 62 to get this tournament started off on the right foot is a nice way to do it."

Widely criticised at last year's Ryder Cup for changing driver brands two weeks before the event, Mickelson's superb early-season displays have continued to justify his decision.

"I've never driven this well," said Mickelson. "I knew through extensive testing it was a change for the better but because the season was over I didn't really play too many tournaments.

"To shoot 60 at Phoenix and 62 here, that's what I see paying off. I was able to drive it a lot longer than I ever have, have a lot of wedges in (to the flag) and because it's flying the right yardage, I'm able to make a lot more birdies."

Canada's Mike Weir, the 2003 U.S. Masters champion, was four behind the leader on 66 alongside Mario Tiziani and Dicky Pride.

Mickelson made a fine start, opening with back-to-back birdies, and ended his round the same way with birdies on 17 and 18.

World number one and defending champion Vijay Singh struggled to a one-over 73.

A year ago Singh used the Pebble Beach Pro-Am as the launch pad for one of the greatest seasons in golf history, the lanky Fijian claiming nine titles and more than $10 million in prize money.

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