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This is Phil Mickelson's first start since playing at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, the final event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. Mickelson, a graduate of Arizona State in nearby Tempe, has played well in the desert, winning as an amateur in Tucson in 1991 and capturing the tournament again in 1995. He also won the 1996 and 2005 FBR Opens in Scottsdale.

When George McNeill won last week's Frys.com Open benefiting Shriners Hospital for Children, he became the ninth Q-School medalist to win on the PGA TOUR the following season. The others to do so are Bob Dickson, Ben Crenshaw, Jerry Pate, John Fought, Brett Ogle, Woody Austin, Mike Weir and J.B. Holmes.

Aaron Baddeley

Aaron Baddeley will attempt to win his second event of the season in Scottsdale this week at the Fry's Electronics Open. Earlier this year, Baddeley won the FBR Open just a few minutes down the road from Grayhawk GC at TPC Scottsdale. The last player to win two events in the same city in the same year was Tiger Woods, who won twice in San Diego in 2003.

Six players have jumped into the Top 125 since the start of the Fall Series: Bill Haas, Alex Cejka, Johnson Wagner, Jesper Parnevik, Mathias Gronberg and Michael Allen. More on Gronberg: The Swede enters this week's Fry's Electronics Open on a roll. He began the Fall Series in 155th place on the money list, but after finishing T3-T7 in the last two weeks, he's vaulted all the way to 120th.

Putting may still be the key to success. Of the Top 25 putters on TOUR, six are among the Top 10 money winners. On the other hand, of the Top 25 Ball-Strikers on TOUR, only two are among the Top 10 on the money list, and six are outside the Top 125.

Scottsdale has been very good to several players who are expected to compete this week at the Fry's Electronics Open. Seven have won the FBR Open, including Mark Calcavecchia, who has won it three times and Phil Mickelson, who has won it twice. In fact, the last three FBR Open champs are in the field this week in Aaron Baddeley, J.B. Holmes and Mickelson.

Fred Funk

The old guard has done itself pretty proud this year. Two players 50 or older are among the Top 125 on the money list (Fred Funk, Bernhard Langer) and six more players age 47-48 are on the list as well (Michael Allen, Tommy Armour III, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman, Tom Pernice Jr. and Kenny Perry).

Aaron Baddeley will go for the Sonora Desert Double this week. Earlier this year, Baddeley won his second PGA TOUR title when he captured the FBR Open at TPC Scottsdale. Baddeley, a native Australian who lives in Scottsdale, is in the field this week and is 10th on the money list, with $3,441,119 in season earnings. Aaron Baddeley's best earnings year on the PGA TOUR prior to this season came in 2006 when he made $1,516,513 to finish 55th on the money list.

Six players who finished in the top 10 at the FBR Open in February are playing this week at the Fry's Electronics Open. They are Aaron Baddeley (won), John Rollins (second), Jeff Quinney (third), Billy Mayfair (fifth), Bubba Watson and Dean Wilson (tied for eighth). Another 12 who finished in the top 25 at the FBR Open will be at Grayhawk Golf Club's Raptor Course this week.

Seven past FBR Open champions comprising 10 total victories will be in Scottsdale this week hoping to add the Fry's Electronics Open to their win totals. The past FBR Open champions are Aaron Baddeley (2007), J.B. Holmes (2006), Phil Mickelson (1996, 2005), Mark Calcavecchia (1989, 1992, 2001), Tom Lehman (2000), Rocco Mediate (1999) and Jesper Parnevik (1998).

Three of the first four winners of Fall Series events are playing this week. George McNeill won last week at the Frys.com Open, while Steve Flesch won the Turning Stone Resort Championship and Justin Leonard won the Valero Texas Open. Other 2007 PGA TOUR winners playing this week are Mark Calcavecchia, Charley Hoffman, Phil Mickelson, Joe Ogilvie, Brandt Snedeker and Nick Watney.