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SAUDI INTERNATIONAL POWERED BY SBIA

February 2, 2020

Phil Mickelson

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

Q. 67 for a total of 9-under, give us an assessment of your play today?
PHIL MICKELSON: In all honesty, I didn't really strike it anywhere near as well as I did the last few days. I really struggled off the tee when I've been driving it well, but I was able to score. I was able to keep the round going, make pars, miss in the right spot and kind of play strategic. But I didn't quite strike it my best.

But it was so fun to be back in the mix. It's been a while since I've been in contention. It's been a while since I've been playing well and it feels really good. This has been a great week for me, a good step, and it was so fun coming down the stretch to feel the nervousness and the excitement and the opportunities, and unfortunately the putts on 16, 17, I needed those to go in but I really enjoyed the entire day today.

Q. You got off to a hot start, what were you thinking, a target?
PHIL MICKELSON: No, I was just thinking it was nice to make a few birdies because it allows me to be a little bit smarter on some of these holes where the pins are difficult and spots that could lead to bogey or worse, and it allowed me to be a little more patient.

But I didn't strike it as well in the middle of the round to really give me opportunities, because I just was a little bit off from where I have been, but the good thing was I was missing in the correct spots and gave myself a chance to keep playing and making pars.

Q. What are the main positives you take going forward?
PHIL MICKELSON: So the way I drove it the first, well, the first three days, was a really big first step for me because starting to really strike it well off the tee with ease and I got a little bit stuck today. Got a little bit quick, a little bit jumpy, a little bit antsy from the top, and I kept getting stuck, but it was a great week for me to build off of.

Q. 67 to close out this championship. Give us your thoughts on how well you battled out there.
PHIL MICKELSON: I did, and it was sure fun coming down that back nine with an opportunity, with a chance, knowing that if I can shoot 3-, 4-under par, that I have a chance to win this tournament.

I haven't felt that in a while. I haven't played my best. I haven't been my best this last year since I won Pebble a year ago, and I'm excited to go back there next week with a little bit of momentum. I feel like I have been playing well but yet I haven't had the results. I missed a couple of cuts and this week I really started to put things together and it's a great week to build off of. I've had a good week.

Q. Do you feel like the putts on 16 and 17 were the turning point?
PHIL MICKELSON: Certainly I needed those to go, but I've putted so well this week, and made putt after putt, par after par, and it wasn't easy putting with the wind where you've got the ball breaking opposite the break because of the wind and trying to judge it all, and I was able to really get tuned in on the greens and make a lot of putts. That kept the round going and gave me opportunities.

Even though those didn't go, the one on 17 was so close and I thought I had it right there and it just caught the lip. It was so fun having a chance, being in the thick of it again, feeling my game come back and feeling the ease I was swinging it. I was a little off today. I was a little bit jumpy, a little bit antsy, a little bit quick, but the first few days I really struck it well and I fought hard to score and stay in it.

Q. How would you reflect on your week in Saudi Arabia? Have you enjoyed yourself?
PHIL MICKELSON: I've had a great week and this is really, again, been a great week for me to build off my game. We were treated so well, and had a wonderful experience here. The course is spectacular. I'm very pleasantly surprised at what a quality golf course this is, because I know there's a lot of growth and a lot of courses being built, and this is a great standard to try to keep up with.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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