Bubba squeamish about deer-antler spray

The former Arizona State star has struggled on the course, tying for 51st last week at Torrey Pines after opening his season with a tie for 37th in the Humana Challenge.

Defending champion Kyle Stanley is making his fifth straight start of the season, joining Tommy Gainey and Scott Stallings as the only players yet to take a week off.

“I think after this event, I’m probably going to take an offseason,” Stanley said. “I didn’t really have much of one. I’m definitely looking forward to having some time off.”

Last year, Stanley rebounded from a devastating loss at Torrey Pines with his first PGA Tour victory. He beat Ben Crane by a stroke, overcoming an eight-stroke deficit with a final-round 65. The previous week in San Diego, Stanley made a triple-bogey 8 on the final hole and lost a playoff to Brandt Snedeker.

“It doesn’t seem like a year since I was last here, but today was the first time I’ve seen the course since Sunday last year,” Stanley said. “It’s good to be back. I feel really comfortable on this golf course.”

Padraid Harrington is playing the tournament for the first time.

“It’s a tournament that you have to go and play it sometime in your career,” the Irishman said. “I’ve looked at it over the years and it’s never quite fit the schedule, but I’ve always wanted to come and see what it’s like in person.”

DIVOTS: Mickelson will play alongside Rickie Fowler and Jason Dufner the first two rounds. In other featured groups, Watson will play with Nick Watney and Sony Open winner Russell Henley; Stanley is with Keegan Bradley and Martin Kaymer; and Harrington and Snedeker with Hunter Mahan. Singh was scheduled to play with Ryan Moore and Carl Pettersson. … Dufner has made 22 straight cuts, the longest active streak on the tour.

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