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WGC AMERICAN EXPRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

October 6, 2005

Phil Mickelson

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's a tough golf course and the little bit of wind that's there affects the ball, it's such a thick air. The golf course is holding up very well. It's a great setup, a very fair test. It's not tricked up at all, and it just shows that the layout and the course itself is a good challenge for us.

Q. Where did you leave your strokes out there?

PHIL MICKELSON: We all leave some out there. I shot 1 over, I'll take it. I'll try to come back tomorrow with some birdies.

Q. Were the fairways holding the tee balls okay?

PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I thought it was set up very well. The fairways would hold. They were firm but they would hold shots. The greens were very fair. They weren't easy to get it close, but they were somewhat receptive. I thought it was a great, great setup.

Q. What particularly, was it the speed of the greens maybe or just the rough around the greens, the weather?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's just a tough golf course. It's just not an easy course. The layout is tough, the greens are fast, the rough is thick. It's just a tough setup, and I think that we saw a lot of good, solid rounds of 1, 2 under par. That seems to be a pretty good, solid round. It's very difficult to go low and shoot 4, 5, 6 under.

Q. Everyone thought you guys would tear it up, but I guess we were wrong.

PHIL MICKELSON: I guess muni just means it's owned by the city, it doesn't mean it's an easy or hard course.

Q. Is 18 the toughest hole? And what's your approach?

PHIL MICKELSON: It is a tough hole. I ended up bogeying it and I hit a good drive. It's a tough tee shot for a lot of guys, and the green is as difficult a green as there is on the course.

Q. What did you hit there?

PHIL MICKELSON: A driver, I cut a driver around the corner.

Q. Any other holes that are particularly striking on the course?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's just a tough setup. It's a very fair, fun test of golf. I love it. I think everybody here loves playing here. It's really well done.

Q. How are the fans out here?

PHIL MICKELSON: Terrific. It's been terrific. My wife is from here, so we've had some family and friends in the area. It's been a lot of fun.

Q. Comment on Sandy Tatum being 85 years old and the guy that kind of made this happen. Do you marvel at him pulling this off?

PHIL MICKELSON: I think it's certainly great for golf and great for the city to have anybody come out and play such a great test, one of the best that we have in the country. Spectacular. I love that Sandy Tatum has done for the game of golf here.

Q. For the next generation, how important is it do you think that the kids have access to a course like this that's affordable?

PHIL MICKELSON: I think access to golf is very important, and I know the Tour has been very involved with the First Tee program on a national level trying to get people started, minorities started in the game of golf at a young age and anybody who wouldn't have access started in the game of golf. It's a great place to grow up. I know that I started working on the driving range when I was eight years old and have been on the course all throughout my childhood and just loved it. It's a great place to grow up and play this game.

End of FastScripts.

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