Mickelson, PGA West's Stadium Course back after long layoffs

Phil Mickelson is back after a long layoff. So is PGA West's TPC Stadium Course.

The 45-year-old Mickelson is making his first start since the Presidents Cup in October, while the Stadium Course is back in the CareerBuilder Challenge rotation after nearly 30 years.

Mickelson also is playing for the first time since splitting with swing coach Butch Harmon to work with Andrew Getson. The 2002 and 2004 champion is winless since the 2013 British Open.

"My last two years have been disappointing to me," Mickelson said in a story posted by sponsor KPMG. "I want to make this upcoming year one of the best years possible. I'm optimistic, but I'm also nervous because it's been a little while since I've played to the level I expect to."

Lefty was in high school the only other time the Stadium Course was used in the event.

That was in 1987, a year after the Pete Dye-designed course opened. Dye did his best to satisfy developers Ernie Vossler and Joe Walser when they told him to build "the toughest damn course in the world."

"Golf is not a fair game, so why build a course fair?" Dye famously said.

The Stadium Course was quickly dropped from the tournament, with pace of play an issue in the event that then had three amateurs - including celebrities - playing alongside one professional the first four days. The course finally got another chance this year when PGA West's Palmer and Nicklaus private layouts dropped out.

"The course was built to be very demanding and I think even with the equipment improvements it will challenge the professionals," the 90-year-old Dye said Wednesday from his Florida home.

The adjacent Nicklaus Tournament Course, panned by Greg Norman after he won the 1993 PGA Grand Slam, is being used for the first time, and player-favorite La Quinta Country Club is the lone holdover. After rounds Thursday-Saturday on the three courses with two pros and two amateurs in each group, the tour players will return to the Stadium Course on Sunday.

"Selfishly, I'm disappointed that it's changed courses, just because I had success on the other courses," said Bill Haas, the winner last year and in 2010.

(China Daily 01/23/2016 page11)