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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 16, 2019

Tiger Woods

Pebble Beach, California

Q. Heck of a comeback today. What turned around for you?
TIGER WOODS: I wish I would have known because I would have turned it around a little earlier than that. Again, got off to another crappy start and was able to fight it off. Turned back around and got it to under par for the week which is -- normally it's a good thing, but this week the guys are definitely taking to it.

Q. You understand the scoring portion on the golf course are the first six holes. You've always been really good at winning through the finish line. Tell me about your finish and your thought process as you went to 7?
TIGER WOODS: It was just a matter of can I somehow get it back to even par for the day and the total. And that was our goal. Happened to get a couple more out of it which is great. But it was -- got off to a bad start, and let's see if we can get it to even par. And it was a nice finish to get 2-under par.

Q. When will we see you again?
TIGER WOODS: Depends, if you've got a camera phone, so -- no, I think I'm going to take a little bit of time off and enjoy some family time.

Q. You've talked a lot this week about getting some low numbers in the first seven holes or so, and obviously that didn't work your way. But to be able to come back and reel off all those birdies, you walked away feeling positive about it?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, just keep fighting. Just because I got off to a bad start doesn't mean it's over. Keep grinding, keep playing. And I was able to turn my round around today as well as yesterday. So rounds that could have easily slipped away and kind of gone the other way pretty easily I was able it to turnaround.

Q. Brooks is mounting a challenge, although Gary is pretty stout. But if he were to win this, he'd be on a pace that you were on in '00, '01, '02. What is it like to see someone do what you have already done?
TIGER WOODS: He's doing all the little things. If you watch his rounds, he misses the balls in the correct spots, leaves himself the easier up-and-downs. If he misses a tee shot, it's always in the correct side.

He does the little things that add up over 72 holes. On top of that, he's figured out what is and probably show what will be working for him going forward. And we all have to figure out our own way. Some guys like to play less. Some guys don't like to play. Some guys play a ton of practice holes, some guys don't. Some guys hit hundreds of balls post round, some guys don't.

You have to figure out your own way. And there's been a handful of guys have figured out what's best for them, and he's certainly figured out what's best for him.

Q. How much are you looking forward to getting to Portrush, and what do you know about Northern Ireland?
TIGER WOODS: I've only played County Down, I've never been up to Portrush, and I'm looking forward to getting up there and taking a look at the golf course and trying to figure out. I was telling Tim over here that I hope that my practice rounds are such that we get different winds, especially on a golf course that I've never played, and to get a different feel how it could play for the week. And definitely have to do my homework once I get there.

Q. Have any of the Northern Irish guys been giving you any advice?
TIGER WOODS: I know Rickie is not giving me any advice; he's saving it all for Brooks.

Q. Looking at Brooks and what he's doing right now, what you did in the late '90s to early 2000s, are those kind of streaks -- again, you were talking about the body pains, every strike you hit is painful, are those kind of streaks really only manageable in your 20s or 30s? Or do you think today guys in their 40s can go on those kind of runs?
TIGER WOODS: As I said, it depends on what -- you've got to figure out what works best for you. Mr. Hogan figured out what worked best for him. Jack figured out what worked best for himself. And it's about a 72-hole grind. It's a long grind and trying to manage yourself over those 72 holes, trying to miss the ball in the correct spots. It all adds up. It's not just a hot streak here and there. It's about doing the right things mentally as well as physically.

Q. You sent out a really beautiful message today about your dad and kids. Do you find yourself saying things to your kids that your dad said to you?
TIGER WOODS: All the time. All the time. There's not a day that I don't think about my dad. On a day like today, when I won this championship, my dad wasn't able to travel. His cancer was spreading, and he wasn't able to make it up here. Even though I had a big lead playing Sunday, he couldn't fly. Going home that night was awfully special to share with him.

Q. How do you manage the next three or four weeks now leading up to Portrush with trying to rest and family time and also trying to get geared back up again?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it's just trying to wind down from the championship as well as my lifts and getting back into it. And I know that Florida will not be the same temperature as Northern Ireland. I'm not going to be practicing with any sweaters at home, but it will be nice to get to Portrush and get with it again.

Q. Will you play again before Portrush?
TIGER WOODS: I'll play at home, yeah (laughter).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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