Mickelson to return at Bob Hope Chrysler Classic

Phil Mickelson will make his return to golf this week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in California.

The five-day pro-am event starting on Wednesday is Mickelson's first competitive outing since the Ryder Cup almost four months ago.

Winner of only half a point in his five matches at the K Club, the Masters champion called a halt to his season there and then - one which promised so much but became a damp squib.

The turning point was the US Open at Winged Foot. Colin Montgomerie's closing double bogey left Mickelson with a one-shot lead over Geoff Ogilvy standing on the final tee, but he carved his drive into the tented village, hit a tree with his second, found a bunker with his third and by failing to get up and down blew it.

Instead of coming to Hoylake a month later to try to emulate Tiger Woods' unique feat of holding all four major titles at the same time Mickelson faded away, not even managing a top-10 finish during the rest of 2006.

When the Americans suffered their record-equalling defeat in the Ryder Cup, he came in for much criticism for taking the three previous weeks off.