Michelson has returned to Riviera from pebble beach

A fourth American, Jonathan Byrd, who played in the morning in the event the winds were at their strongest, and Swede Carl Pettersson, were an additional shot back in joint 4th put on 68s while England World # 1 Luke Donald opened his US PGA Tour season having a solid 2-under 70.

Sergio Garcia, who opened using a 69, is one shot looking at Donald in the group that included Stewart Cink and KJ Choi.

Thirty players remained as from the course including Ernie els, who had been one-over with two holes to learn, when bad light saw the round suspended, but South Africa's Rory Sabbatini, the winner the following is 2006, nearest the lead for just 1-under using discount golf clubs a hole to play, there isnrrrt much potential for Mickelson losing his lead when the round is completed in the beginning Friday morning.

Still riding the rich vein of form that gave him the flawless final-round 64 that won him his 4th AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last Sunday, a still smiling Mickelson, the winner at Riviera in 2009 and 2008, mixed six birdies and something bogey in surging to the top of the leaderboard.

And zilch delighted him a lot more than his chip-in from 35 feet that earned him the Taylormade R11 irons unexpected birdie with the last that helped him shrug away his only mistake in the par-three 16th hole

"It wasn't one I used to be really trying to make," Mickelson told the media afterwards. "It was quick, it had been downhill and I were required to play about four or five feet of break.

"I was trying to find good speed to Taylormade R11 driver allow it feed in the break. I got fortunate obviously if this went in."

"I left a couple of (shots) out on 16 and 17, and you also hate to own a real good round and after that let a couple of slide late," added Mickelson, who failed to produce a gettable birdie the par-five 17th.

"So to produce that shot unexpectedly on 18 felt like I acquired some of those back."