Padraig Harrington claims his Open Championship victory has made him even hungrier for trophies.

The Irishman has endured a silverware drought since his dramatic play-off victory at Carnoustie in July, although he has played just two tournaments in the last 10 weeks.

He spent last week in isolation at home after contracting shingles but he returns to action today at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California.

"You would think winning a major would mellow you," he said.

"It's done the opposite to me. It's made me even more obsessive. There's a huge incentive to push on.

"I don't think I have that attitude of some guys who are trying to prove they deserved to win it. But I certainly have the attitude that I really want to win another.

"It would have been nice to chill out and take some of the glory of it all and be confident. But that's not the way my system works."

For once, Tiger Woods will not be the man to beat when the players tee off today.

After winning his second straight tournament at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday, the imperious Woods is taking a breather, giving defending champion Phil Mickelson top billing in California.

It emerged this week that Woods' lead over world number two Mickelson in the rankings is bigger than the difference between the left-hander and number 1,000.

Mickelson would have been a little closer had he not lost Sunday's play-off at the FBR Open, his second event of the year following a sixth-place finish at the Buick Invitational.

Despite coming up dry in his first two events of the season, Mickelson has been in fine form.

Five of his last six rounds have been 68 or better and he is coming to the perfect event to keep his hot streak going.

"I played okay in my first week and I played better in Phoenix," said Mickelson, who has won this event three times.

"I feel like my game is improving.

"I'm looking forward to Pebble. I feel like I'm starting to play better each round as the year goes on and I expect to improve my play this week, too."

However, he is reeling from coming up short last week.

"It's disappointing because that tournament has a special place in my heart and I love playing there," said the Arizona native.

"I love coming out and doing well and I would have loved to have won it again."

First prize at the US dollar six million event is US dollars 1.08 million.