Mickelson leads by three at Pebble Beach

SAN FRANCISCO, California: Phil Mickelson was closing in on a fifth Pebble Beach Pro-Am title when darkness halted play in the final round of the weather-hit US PGA Tour tournament.

Mickelson will return to play the last two holes on Tuesday holding a three-shot lead over playing partner Paul Casey.Red-hot Mickelson and Casey had opposing views on whether to continue as darkness fell, Mickelson putting out for a par at the 16th and saying he was ready to head to 17 as Casey opted to call it a day with a three-foot putt for par in front of him.

“I can see fine,” Mickelson told a rules official on the 16th green. But he said he understood Casey’s perspective.“I get exactly where Paul’s coming from,” Mickelson said.

“It’s dark and we’re going to have a good chance tomorrow to come out on fresh greens. They got pretty rough this afternoon so I totally get it.“But I have pretty good vision, I can see fine and I’m playing well so I wanted to continue, that’s all there is to it.

The last two groups didn’t tee off until after two weather delays, with rain postponing the start of play for an hour and a hailstorm bringing another two-hour hold-up.Mickelson, gunning for a 44th US PGA Tour title, was unfazed by the uncertainty.

He started the day three shots off Casey’s lead but roared to the top of the leaderboard with six birdies that put him 18-under for the tournament with two holes remaining.He gained ground with birdies at the par-five second and the fourth, then made back-to-back birdies at the ninth and 10th — two of the toughest holes on the course.

He curled in a seven-footer for birdie at 13 and drained a six-footer at 14.Casey, meanwhile, struggled to get anything going. A birdie at the second was followed by eight straight pars before back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12.A birdie from the fringe at 14 left him even for the day and 15-under par for the tournament.