Week 5 Approach Shots: Northern Trust Open

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With back-to-back Northern Trust Open wins and a runner-up performance in 2007, Phil Mickelson has dominated at Riviera Country Club in recent years. Mickelson goes for his third consecutive win this week at the venerable Pacific Palisades, Calif., course.

TV/Radio (all times ET)

TV: GOLF CHANNEL (Thu.-Fri., 5-8 p.m.); NBC (Sat., 3-6 p.m.; Sun. 2:30-6 p.m.) RADIO: PGA TOUR NETWORK - Sirius 209, XM 146, PGATOUR.COM (Thu.-Fri., 2-8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun, 12-6 p.m.)

Weather

The forecast calls for cloudy skies on Thursday. The tournament will likely be hit by rain on Friday and Saturday (70 percent chance) but the skies should clear up for Sunday's final round. Highs expected to reach into the 60s. Updated weather info

Key links

• Expert picks | Sleepers | Tee times • Power Rankings | Fantasy Insider • Inside the Field | Inside the Courses

Heading into the final round a year ago, Mickelson had built a four-stroke lead over Andres Romero. But a 1-over 72 Sunday forced Mickelson to hang on when Steve Stricker came from off the pace. He eventually defeated Stricker by a stroke.

Mickelson opened his 2010 season last week at the Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, Calif., where he finished 19th. A year ago, the three-time major champion finished second in the FedExCup on the strength of three victories. Besides his Northern Trust Open win, Mickelson took home titles at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship and THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

One more interesting fact about Mickelson -- he's the only modern player to win all four current California PGA TOUR events. This week, he is trying to become the first player to win the Northern Trust Open in three consecutive years.

It's not all about Lefty this week in L.A., though. The Northern Trust Open has a history of producing some of the most-exciting finishes on the PGA TOUR. There have been 16 playoffs at the tournament, with five coming since 1998, including wins by Billy Mayfair (1998), Robert Allenby (2001), Mike Weir (2003), Adam Scott (2005) and Charles Howell III (2007). Four of those past champions are in the field this week.

Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, 18, returns to the course where he made his PGA TOUR debut in 2009 to play in his first TOUR event of 2010. Ishikawa played six official TOUR events in 2009, including the Masters Tournament, the British Open and the PGA Championship. After missing the cut in his first start at Riviera, Ishikawa qualified for the weekend and finished 71st in his next event, the Transitions Championship. He carded his best finish of the season, a T56, at the PGA Championship in August. He was also 3-2 as a Captain's selection at the 2009 Presidents Cup, held at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco.

Rory Sabbatini, the runner-up at the season-opening SBS Championship, has had great success at Riviera. In 10 previous attempts at the Northern Trust Open, Sabbatini has a victory (2006) a runner-up in 2002, four top-10 finishes and has only missed the cut once.

An interested observer in all the on-course action this week will be NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, who is in his first year as the tournament's executive director.

Columnists' predictions

Each week, PGATOUR.COM columnists will predict the winner. Here are their picks for the Northern Trust Open. Columnist Pick Comment Craig Dolch ROBERT ALLENBY: After two near-misses this year, the Aussie finally wins again on the PGA TOUR. His last victory came at the 2001 Marconi Pennsylvania Classic. Stan Awtrey RORY SABBATINI: He loves the West Coast courses, especially Riviera. He's had two top-10s in Los Angeles since his victory there in 2006 and has played well in two starts this year. John Maginnes PHIL MICKELSON: That left-handed fellow plays pretty well at Riviera no matter what wedges he is playing.Sure would be fun if he was challenged this week by Freddie, though. Melanie Hauser FRED COUPLES: Lots of choices, including Phil and Strick and Adam Scott. But why go with the obvious? I'll take a chance on the old guy who loves the course and is playing like he's a decade or so younger -- Fred Couples.

Bolton's Yahoo! selections

Fantasy columnist Rob Bolton will provide his Yahoo! picks as a starting point for you every week. Use the advice and opinion from his Power Rankings and Fantasy Insider to assist in determining lineups changes throughout each tournament. Group Starters Bench Group A Steve Stricker Phil Mickelson Group B Robert Allenby, Charles Howell III Padraig Harrington, Rory Sabbatini Group C Tim Clark Matt Kuchar

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Kodak Challenge

This week's Kodak Challenge hole is the par-4, 315-yard 10th at Riviera. Jack Nicklaus calls this "one of the best 10th holes in major championship golf." A short hole but by no means easy, longer hitters can drive this green, but extreme accuracy is required. The ideal spot to come into this green is from the left side of the fairway. An extremely narrow green with bunkers right, left and behind gives this hole its character.More on Kodak Challenge

OLDIE BUT GOODIE: Outside the major championships, the Northern Trust Open is the fourth-oldest event on TOUR, trailing only the BMW Championship (1899), the RBC Canadian Open (1904) and the Valero Texas Open (1922). The Northern Trust Open has missed only one year -- the canceling of the 1943 event because of World War II -- since its first tournament in 1926.

PLAY LA: PLAY (Play LA) is an 18-day, city-wide event led by Northern Trust Open Executive Director West and 18 golfers -- including celebrities and notable Angelenos -- putting, chipping and driving their way through iconic Los Angeles locations in a countdown to the PGA TOUR's Northern Trust Open. Beginning Saturday, Jan. 16, on the Third Street Promenade, L.A. sports icon West kicked off the first PLAY event. The last event of PLAY was on Tuesday at Riviera Country Club, where Hunter Mahan and representatives from The First Tee hit a "final putt" on the 18th hole.

MILITARY APPRECIATION: The Northern Trust Open will honor area military personnel and their families, including free admission during the tournament, a special picnic and golf exhibition for veterans with Jerry West and players, and a private hospitality venue. (For more about the PGA TOUR's charitable efforts, please check out our new charity Web site. Click here.)

SPONSOR EXEMPTION: Joshua Wooding, 23, of Riverside, Calif., a 2007 graduate of the University of Southern California, was chosen from a pool of applicants to receive the annual exemption, sponsored by Northern Trust, which provides a playing opportunity for a top golfer who represents the advancement of diversity in golf and wouldn't otherwise be eligible to compete in the 2010 tournament. Wooding was an All-American in 2005 and earned all-Pac-10 Conference honorable mention all four years of his collegiate career (2004-07).