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THE BARCLAYSAugust 19, 2014Phil MickelsonPARAMUS, NEW JERSEY PHIL MICKELSON: We play such great golf courses here in the metropolitan area, and Ridgewood is sensational. It's a Tillinghast design THAT we played a few years ago. Tee‑to‑green it's such a spectacular test of golf. The green have such great views and undulations and contours, making it challenging to get the ball close to the hole but a very fair test and I think all the players really love Ridgewood. They love all the courses we play here but they really love Ridgewood. It's in the best shape it's ever been. I think to start off the FedExCup with this event right here in this area in this region that has supported golf so well over the years; in fact, was very instrumental and the biggest reason ‑‑ because of how well they support the game of golf. To start the FedExCup here on a great course like Ridgewood, and it's in the best shape it's ever been, we are going to have an exciting week and exciting month of golf. Q. What was it like after the PGA after the last hole played off? PHIL MICKELSON: I took a lot of time off, four or five days off. We kind of hung out. Amy and I went on a couple dates and just kind of decompressed, because it's the last major and I had been gone for seven of the previous eight weeks and I had been gone a lot and I have another month coming up, so I needed a few days at home to decompress. The PGA was a big week for me because it was the first time this year my game was back. It gave me an excitement and energy heading into the FedExCup and Barclays here that my game is back and I'm ready to compete and get back into contention. It was so fun being up there again, and the nerves and the excitement of it all, it got me excited. Q. (Inaudible.) PHIL MICKELSON: We all go through highs and lows, and I'll try not to dwell on it or worry about it because I know it will come back and it slowly has. It started at the British and it led into the PGA, but it was a disappointing finish for me in the sense that had I played two shots like that ‑‑ in the final round, it would have made the year totally different. Now I have to play well this week and in the FedExCup to really make the year salvageable. Q. Were you satisfied with the way you‑‑ PHIL MICKELSON: It's very common for us to have players run ahead, tee off‑‑ that's absolutely normal. What we don't normally do on the PGA TOUR which is not a big deal is play up the last hole together. We usually tee off and then the groups fall back in order. That was the only difference we did but it's not going to affect the outcome. It's only going to help the event finish on Sunday with all the people there rather than come back the next morning for just a couple shots. Q. (Inaudible.) PHIL MICKELSON: I don't even know if that would do it because it hasn't been a great year and I'm okay with that. I know that I've made great strides this year in driving the golf ball and I've made great strides in my wedge play, but it's been a terrible year for my wedge and short iron. I also had a very poor year putting. So I'm actually more looking forward to 2015 and after these next few events, after The Ryder Cup, I'll probably take the rest of the year off, work on my fitness, work on my golf game and really focus on 2015 because 2015 is when the points start accumulating really for the Olympics. I don't know why that's important to me but it is. I want to be a 46‑year‑old Olympian, that's pretty cool. So 2015 and 2016 are years I want to really focus on and I want to make sure I'm ready com January. Q. Speaking about highs and lows, what do you make of Rory's run? PHIL MICKELSON: It's incredible. It's an incredible run. His level of play this last month has been exceptional. Now, from what I've seen over the years with Tiger, from 2000, if you want to compare it to that, well, he's got a ways to go. But, to win the British and the PGA and throw a World Golf Championships in the middle under anybody's circumstances, that is just a remarkable month of golf and some of the best that I've seen. You can probably go back and compare it to some of the Tiger stuff. He's done that over decades. And I wouldn't be surprised if Rory did it, too. You just never know. He's that good. He can do it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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