Rain, hail delays final round at Pebble Beach

The steam coming off his head in the Sunday night gloaming at Pebble Beach was undoubtedly due to the frigid air that permeated the tournament, although few would be surprised if Phil Mickelson really was seething over the idea that he wouldn't be allowed to finish despite two holes to play in enveloping darkness.

Mickelson will have to return at 8 a.m. PT Monday to play the last two holes.

The late-morning hail quickly covered the greens and gave officials no choice but to suspend play, even before the leaders had teed off in northern California.

Mickelson returned to Pebble Beach Golf Links bright and early to close out his record-tying fifth A&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am victory, holding off Paul Casey in the weather-delayed finish to the PGA Tour event.

He had surged into the lead Sunday, playing brilliantly through 16 holes and overtaking Casey.

"We've got two tough holes left and I don't want to jump the gun and get past that", Mickelson said. He won that summer's British Open at Muirfield and last year's Mexico Championship.

Mickelson already made his par on the 16th and was 6 under for the day, with no bogeys on his card, and 18-under par for the tournament.

Mickelson had no problems with Casey's decision. Before long, the greens were filled with tiny pellets, and workers went from using squeegees for excess water to power blowers to remove the hail.

Sam Saunders, whose grandfather Arnold Palmer was among the Pebble Beach owners, scooped up hail and tossed it like a snowball.

Mickelson began by calmly knocking his tee shot on the par-three 17th to inside 10 feet and Casey followed suit, but when the 41-year-old failed to sink an eight-footer for birdie his hopes of snatching the win were effectively ended.

After a rain-delayed start, Mickelson had produced a blemish-free round and holed six birdies to move to 18 under before play was called off. Mickelson poured it on, showing his skills have not deteriorated a bit at age 48, controlling spin beautifully to back pin positions.

"It's dark and we have a chance to come out on Monday on fresh greens". I have good vision, I can see fine and I wanted to continue. Jason Day and Si Woo Kim tied for fourth place (13 under), rounding out the top five.