WGC NEC INVITATIONAL

August 29, 1999

Phil Mickelson

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I was pretty pleased that I got off to a good start and put myself in contention. Made some quick birdies. Five out of the first seven, and felt like I had a good shot at winning the golf tournament after that. And I turned in 5-under, and felt like a good back side could do it. And birdieding 11 was a good start. I think that although I was pleased that I gave myself good opportunities today, I'm certainly disappointed with the way a finished up on. 16 is a birdie hole, and I needed to putt my lay up shot in the fairway, and I didn't do it. And I had a poor lie and was lucky to get over the water. A little disappointed with 6, though. And 18, I needed to hit that fairway also, and hit the left rough and had a poor lie and was unable to advances it too far.

PHIL MICKELSON: I felt like the only chance I would have to is to make par and hope that Tiger bogeys. And I was trying to chip it in only, and it ran by the left edge. It had a good shot. It just ran by the left edge. 6, 2-iron.

PHIL MICKELSON: I'm pleased with the front nine and the fact that I had a shot at winning the tournament today when it looked like Tiger may have already run away with it. But I'm certainly disappointed with the way I've finished. That's happened a couple times this year, and I need to get a little tougher on the last few holes. I'm disappointed with the way I've finished tournaments this year.

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, this golf course has certainly been good to me. I like it a lot. I think it's one of the most straightforward tests of golf that we play on TOUR. And I like the fact that it's difficult to go really low here, and that the lead tends to stay right around -- the guys tends to stay pretty bunched. Because of that, I feel like I don't need to really go low to have a shot at winning. Now, obviously today was different with Tiger shooting really low yesterday. But I think it's a little bit easier for me to just stay around the pack because I can make a bunch of pars.