Golf: Mickelson out for repeat win

Phil Mickelson is a warm favourite with bookmakers for this week's BellSouth Classic in the absence of both Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh.

World number one Woods, winner of his last two tournaments, is putting the finishing touches to his preparations for next week's Masters with coach Butch Harmon.

And Fijian Singh, edged out by Woods in last week's Players' Championship, is resting before he bids to defend his title in Augusta.

Mickelson, defending champion at the Sugarloaf Course in Duluth after his play-off victory over Gary Nicklaus last year, has been put in at 5-1 with the on-line firm.

Georgia resident Davis Love III is 10-1 second favourite for his home-state event.

Sweden's Jesper Parnevik heads the European challenge at 16-1 with Spanish duo Jose Maria Olazabal (40-1) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (100-1) and Ian Woosnam (100-1) much less fancied.

Ernie Els is available at 16-1 while course specialists Stewart Cink, whose house backs onto the course, and John Huston are both attractive 25-1 shots.

Scott McCarron, winner here in 1997 when the Sugarloaf Course was first used to host the event, is an appealing 33-1 on this drivers' course.