Featured group: Haas, Watson and Mickelson in Phoenix

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At each PGA TOUR event this season, a featured pairing will be highlighted prior to the first round. Here is the featured pairing for Thursday-Friday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

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By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The fans braving the frigid temperatures here at TPC Scottsdale and those watching TV in the warmth of their living rooms are in for treat during the first two rounds of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Bill Haas -- who, along with Jhonattan Vegas, are without question the hottest players on the PGA TOUR right now -- will play together in the first two rounds. They start off the 10th hole on Thursday at 10:07 a.m. ET and No. 1 on Friday at 2:17 p.m. ET.

Watson won last week's Farmers Insurance Open while Mickelson finished second there in his 2011 PGA TOUR debut on Sunday. And Haas took the lead into the final day and tied for ninth --- which was his third top-10 finish of the year.

"I think it's terrific to be able to allow tournaments to market marquee pairings throughout the week," Mickelson said. "... To put me and Bubba together after last week's duel that we had in essence, and again with Bill Haas who I played with in the final round, I think that's great. ... I think fans like it and I think it's good for television."

For Mickelson, the Waste Management Phoenix Open represents his second consecutive "home" game. He may live in San Diego now but he's one of Scottsdale's adopted sons after going to school at Arizona State and making his home in the area for several years.

The wildly popular lefthander is a two-time champion of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, winning in 1996 and 2005 when he shot a career-low 60 in the second round. Mickelson has played in this tournament 21 times and has nine top-10s. His scoring average for each round is just over 69, and he's a combined 153 under.

Watson is cut in the Mickelson mode -- and not just because he's also a lefthander. He's aggressive on the course and unfailingly entertaining off it, and Sunday's final round was another stepping stone in his career.

Watson was focused and steady as he seized the lead on the third hole and never wavered. His 67 was textbook and he ended up holding Mickelson off by a shot. Although his other two starts resulted in a tie for 25th and a missed cut, Watson has yet to shoot over par in three events this season.

Haas' hot streak stretches back to the Viking Classic last fall, which was his second PGA TOUR victory. He was the runner-up the following week at the McGladrey Classic before heading overseas, and he has not been out of the top 10 in three starts this season.

One of those was a playoff loss to Vegas at the Bob Hope Classic, where Haas was defending his first TOUR title. He continued that solid play through three rounds at Torrey Pines, holding a one-shot lead when he teed off Sunday but closing with a 75. Haas is a cumulative 52 under for the 2011 season.

Statistical comparison

Key stats from Haas, Watson and Mickelson from the 2011 season (TOUR rank in parentheses)

Category HAAS   WATSON   MICKELSON   Driving distance 292.2 yards (49th)   315.4 (1st) 281.5 (127th)   Driving accuracy 67.93% (35th) 64.91% (57th)   39.29%% (182th)   Greens in regulation 79.49% (9th)   79.63% (7th) 76.39% (23rd)   Putting average 1.715 (44th)   1.762 (104th)   1.673 (12th) Scoring average 69.28 (15th)   70.68 (59th)   67.92 (2nd)

EXPERT PREDICTIONS: We asked some of our PGATOUR.COM experts to predict which player will fare best this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Stan Awtrey: Phil Mickelson. You've got to be able to make plenty of birdies in Phoenix and that's something Mickelson has never been opposed to doing. Who better than the guy who set the course record?

Craig Dolch: Phi Mickelson. Phil will be emboldened by last week's near miss. Bubba Watson will have a victory hangover and Bill Haas is due to have an off week.

Melanie Hauser: Phil Mickelson. Quite the loaded pairing since, usually, you go with the hot hand. And they're all hot. But Scottsdale loves Phil and vice-versa. Great record there and if anyone can handle those crowds -- think 16 -- it's Lefty.

FANTASY INSIDER: Rob Bolton ranked all three players in his Power Rankings this week. The top spot went to Dustin Johnson, and here's why: "Closed with a bogey-free 66 at the Farmers for a tie of third place. Led the field in birdies. Also ranked fifth in distance off the tee, T18 in fairways, T4 in greens and seventh in putting. Perfect fit this week."

From the Fantasy Insider: Dustin Johnson and Phil should among your selections for Group A on Yahoo! Fantasy Golf.