AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Nick Taylor wins in difficult conditions in California ahead of Kevin Streelman and Phil Mickelson

Leaderboard

-19 Taylor

-15 Streelman

-14 Mickelson

-11 Day

-9 McNealy

Final day report

Nick Taylor had to battle both Phil Mickelson and the wind on his way to winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Mickelson was going for a record sixth title at Pebble, but Taylor had a five-shot lead at the turn.

But then the Canadian had to deal with the 40mph winds blowing through the Monterey Peninsula.

With his lead down to just two, Taylor chipped in for a birdie on the 15th and got another birdie on the 17th hole.

Taylor's two-under 70 on Sunday left him on 19-under for the tournament, and a four-shot victory over Kevin Streelman.

Mickelson, who got within two shots with four holes to play, shot 74 and finished in third on 14-under.

The win - the second of his PGA career - gets Taylor into the Masters for the first time.

Ireland's Seamus Power was tied for 38th place on two-under and England's Luke Donald finished joint 55th on even.

Day three report

Phil Mickelson added a collection of extraordinary shots to an already lengthy career highlights reel as he moved into second place in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Defending the title he won for a fifth time last year, Mickelson moved into a clear second with a round of 67 which, in the hands of just about anyone else, could easily have seen those two digits reversed.

They say there are no pictures on the scorecard, and by the end of a round which had to be seen to be believed, the left-hander found himself one behind Canada's Nick Taylor, who also finished well in an excellent 69.

Jason Day sits alone in third having been one shot worse than Taylor at Spyglass Hill, but it was in front of the TV cameras at Pebble Beach that Mickelson stole the limelight from some of the biggest names in sport and entertainment, who help make up the field in this unique event.

First, he holed from 19 feet for birdie at the first, before a fine up-and-down from sand next to the second green saw him complete the dream start and close in on Taylor at the top.

Missed greens at the fourth and fifth holes cost him nothing, the 49-year-old scrambling two pars, before a precise pitch at the par-five sixth saw him pick up a third shot.

At the seventh, Mickelson fired a wedge over the green and into a horrible lie in the bunker. Unperturbed, he hit down on a buried ball, popped it into the air, somehow forced it to trundle through the fringe, and finally come to rest within a couple of feet.

Mickelson got up and down again at the eighth before, typically, missing a short birdie chance at the 10th as he approached a tough back-nine under tougher conditions than had been seen over the previous two days.

Finally his waywardness cost him a shot at the 12th, but in response Mickelson holed out from sand at the 13th and chipped in at the 14th, a sorcerer casting spells around one of golf's most magical courses.

Missed chances came and went at the 16th and 17th holes, but the four-time Pebble Beach winner got up and down with wedge and putter for a final birdie at the last and will begin the final round as favourite.

Victory would see Mickelson climb inside the world's top 50 once again, a 25-year spell there having come to an end late last year. Should he remain there come June, he would qualify for the US Open at Winged Foot, where he so famously missed a great chance to win that tournament in 2006.

Just as he did a year ago, Mickelson is using a return to Pebble Beach to remind us all that, in his hands, anything is possible.

Still, Taylor can take hope from namesake Vaughn who, two years ago, somehow denied Mickelson here. He made a timely eagle to come home in 32 at the tricky Spyglass to ensure that the left-hander doesn't have it all his own way.

Day two report

Canadian Nick Taylor fired a six-under par 66 to take a two-shot lead after the second round at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Taylor birdied four of his last five holes to take his first 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour, at 14-under.

Australia's Jason Day is well-placed in second, after a superb 64 took him to 12-under overall.

Day holed a 40-yard wedge for an eagle on the par-five 14th.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson moved up to third after going around in seven-under, leaving him on 11-under after two days.

Paul Casey is the highest placed Briton, in joint 14th place on seven-under.

Day one report

Nick Taylor started strongly with an eagle and quietly toiled away to finish the first day at the three-course AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am atop the leaderboard with an eight-under 63.

Celebrities including former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning attracted attention at the tournament's Spyglass Hill course, which suited the quiet Canadian who started on the back nine at Monterey Peninsula Country Club and closed the day with a pair of birdies.

"This is one of my favorite events of the year every year," he said. "People ask me my favorite golf course. Pebble is definitely the top of the list. I just love these heavy golf courses. Growing up on poa annua, it suits my eye, so I always enjoy coming here.

"I've been playing solid all year, I've been driving it great. So the game's been solid, it's just kind of been growing. And it's early in the year, I feel like I always start off slow."

Taylor has a two-shot lead over Americans Patrick Cantlay, who played at Spyglass, and the Pebble Beach-playing Chase Seiffert, who each had a six-under 66.

"I've been playing really well," said Cantlay, who is now favourite to win for the third time on the PGA Tour.

"I feel confident and comfortable with the game. I really like it around here. I've played the tournament a few times so coming back to golf courses is easier than seeing them for the first time and I like it here, so it's all good."

Defending champion Phil Mickelson was strong off the tee at Spyglass, tying for 12th with a four-under 68.

Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell was the best of the British and Irish players, finishing tied 44th with a two-under 70 just days after he won the Saudi International