Northern Trust Open notes: Phil Mickelson will keep going for it Phil Mickelson is 41 years old and chasing the 41st victory of his career in the Northern Trust Open, which begins Thursday at Riviera Country Club. Less than 72 hours removed from a rousing rally from a six-stroke deficit to win at Pebble Beach, Mickelson said Wednesday that he is trying to keep the good times (and birdies) rolling. "I had such a fun week that I want to try and have that again," Mickelson said. I don't feel like there's a letdown. I feel like there's an excitement and a new energy to get back in that position. I love having a chance to win. Mickelson, who won at Riviera in 2008 and 2009, faces a field stacked with world No. 1 Luke Donald and virtually every big name in golf except Tiger Woods, Mickelson's playing partner in his final round at Pebble. Wednesday, Mickelson discussed how much he cherished the memory of playing here with Seve Ballesteros as a 17-year-old and walking the same ground where legends Ben Hogan and Sam Snead played. "It's a great compliment to the golf course ... the way it's still a challenge for the best players today, regardless of decades of technological advancements," Mickelson said. For Mickelson, Riviera arrives with the motivation of a 40th-victory milestone that leaves him burning to "win more tournaments and more major championships. .... It's a lot more frustrating for me to finish 25th than it is to finish second at the British Open, where I came so close and let it slip away. I would much rather have that where I'm in the thick of it, have that excitement level. Of course, with Mickelson, his aggressive style can result in a feast-or-famine result. Sunday, he hit 13 of 14 fairways, was the only player not to make a bogey and sank three putts from beyond 20 feet. "I play to win; I'm going to go for it," he said. I'm going to try to make birdies.... When I'm playing well, I make [them], and when I don't have it, my mistakes are going to be big. I'm going to have penalty strokes, I'm going to be back in the pack. If I'm on, I usually have a good chance to win. Good to be young Another Anaheim high school product will play at Riviera on Thursday 20 years after Woods, from Anaheim Western, first competed here. UCLA's Patrick Cantlay, 19, a Servite High graduate, said he "for sure" has a chance to win the Northern Trust Open after finishing 21st in last year's U.S. Open. The nation's top-ranked amateur has played Riviera an estimated dozen times, and he was noncommittal Wednesday when asked whether he plans to participate in the NCAA championships or explore turning pro. "I'm an amateur this week," Cantlay said. Fresh perspective Sergio Garcia, who is still pursuing his first major, said one of the reasons he's starting his PGA Tour season at Riviera is that the course tests golfers' putting, chipping and mental games. "It asks you to be good at every part of your game," Garcia said. I think I've been improving every month, in every tournament I've played in since last year. We've been very positive. Garcia, 32 and ranked 17th in the world, said he is embracing the wisdom built over a career that has now stretched longer than a decade. "You have to be very, very patient, and only give things the importance they deserve," Garcia said. I don't need this to be my best season, or to win a major. I don't want to think about it that way. I just want to give it my best every week, then see where I am. Downpour effect Heavy rain Wednesday morning and afternoon could make for softer greens and perhaps lower scores Thursday, although the fairways will have less roll, especially in the morning. Defending champion Aaron Baddeley and Garcia both praised the greens after morning practice rounds as firm, before a storm system passed through. Meteorologists forecast sunny, warmer conditions through Friday, with temperatures dropping to the 60s with more clouds Saturday and Sunday.