MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 4, 2023

Phil Mickelson

Quick Quotes

Q. What did you think of the golf course?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's great. It's great to be back. It's fun to play. We had a good time.

Q. How is it playing in terms of length and maybe throw in some thoughts on 13, if you don't mind.

PHIL MICKELSON: The course is playing long. It's long and it's hard, but it's in great shape. I actually think with a little bit of weather, a little bit of moisture, it's going to play long and difficult. Probably easier than if it were dry and fast, I would think.

I think the scoring will be decent even though it's going to play pretty long.

Q. How are your preparations this year? I know it's a little bit different schedule than you would have coming in here.

PHIL MICKELSON: I got a chance to come here and play the past couple days. I got lucky in that it rained when I was here and then it broke up and had a beautiful afternoon both times and got a chance to see the way the course will play given the conditions this week.

It plays so different when it's wet. The rye grass, when it's wet, the ball will skip. It will keep its backspin. But when it's dry and sticky, it grabs, it's into the grain, and you really can't chip. You have to putt it from off the green.

This week I'll be chipping a lot. I chipped a lot last week and try to get that area of my game sharp.

Q. Obviously you weren't here last year. What's it like to be back?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's great. It's fun to be back. Everyone has been wonderful.

Q. Did you expect a different reception?

PHIL MICKELSON: No. Everybody here is so classy. Gosh, it's fun to be here.

Q. Cam said yesterday that this was an important week for LIV golf as a group. Do you agree with that?

PHIL MICKELSON: I thought he did a great job in his press conference. I really enjoy being around him.

I don't know if that's the case or not. I thought he said some really great things, though. He's probably right. It would be nice to validate the amount of talent that is over there on LIV, and I think a lot of guys are playing really well heading in. So I think it will be fun to watch.

Q. You going to play the par-3 course?

PHIL MICKELSON: Not tomorrow. I'm going to end up using it as kind of like preparation and getting my game sharp.

Q. Just 13, you said when you were here you couldn't evaluate it. Now you played it.

PHIL MICKELSON: It's tough because it's hard to get past the corner to have a shot at the green and not be blocked out by the trees. For me anyways. And we played the front of the tee box today.

I think in perfect conditions it's probably right on. I think with it being wet, it will be hard to go for it and probably not as risk/reward positive to go for it because the greens are soft and you can still chip it close and it's not really worth the risk.

But conversely you can come into that green with a longer club and stop it. I don't know if I'm long enough to come around the corner and have a clear shot. I tried it today, but I have to hit such a big slice. Rather than hit a low rounded cut, I might have to rip one and get it past the corner.

I don't know if it's really worth the risk for me. I'm a decent wedge player, and I may just try to make a birdie that way.

Q. How does your carry distance compare now, Phil, to kind of different points over the course of your career with the driver?

PHIL MICKELSON: Ball speed and so forth, it's close to back when I was in my 30s and won here a few times. It's just that everybody else has gained relative to where I'm at. I mean, 178 a few times last week. I'll cruise it mid to low 70s. Like I was kind of right around there in my 30s.

But guys today are so much stronger and faster and athletic, that their ball speeds are in the 80s and even 90s.

Q. What do you make of USGA's proposal? It's a big question.

PHIL MICKELSON: I don't have an opinion yet. I have a lot of questions about how it works, who does it affect the most? Does it affect everybody percentage-wise? Does it affect certain launch conditions? I just don't know to make an informed opinion.

Q. (Regarding after the amateur dinner.) Do you have any fond memories of your time at the amateur?

PHIL MICKELSON: I ended up staying there a couple of nights when I was an amateur back in '91. A lot of you guys weren't even born. It was an awesome experience to sneak down and go in the Champions Room and go, wow, I hope one day I can get here.

That's actually where I'm headed when we get done.

Q. (Regarding playing with Fred Couples.)

PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah. Fred and I are longtime friends and we've had a lot of great experiences in the game of golf. I think the world of him, and I hope we have a chance to have more great experiences with him as well.

Q. What requires to get together and celebrate?

PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know. It's possible. I hadn't really thought about it.

Q. Is this the toughest part of your week right here?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's not that hard. I've had worse the last couple years.

Q. Just curious, last year was it tough to miss the Masters? How does it feel to be back?

PHIL MICKELSON: It is my favorite week, so being here and being a part of it, and being able to experience this great place and what it means is so fun because, as a kid, you grow up dreaming about being a part of this. You dream of winning it, being in contention, and then when you actually are a pro and you are playing here, you're like, wow, I want to be a part of this every year.

That's the coolest thing about having won here is that you're a part of this event and part of the history. It's really, really special thing.

Q. Do you think you can win this week? Is that in the realm of possibility?

PHIL MICKELSON: I wouldn't be here if I didn't feel that way. It's also, I've got to be realistic. I haven't scored the way I want to, but I do see a lot of positive signs.

I'm going to try to just be patient, whether it's this week or soon, because things are about to click.

Q. Obviously a big mix of successful LIV guys and PGA TOUR guys at the Champions Dinner tonight. Is there any message that you want to get across when you're talking to guys from different groups?

PHIL MICKELSON: No. I think we all are -- we've had friendships, relationships for a long time. I don't see it being an issue. I really don't.

I think that -- I think it's going to be a fun night to celebrate Scottie's win and welcome him to a club that is truly unique and special and very -- an honor to be a part of.

Q. Do you have any thoughts on his menu?

PHIL MICKELSON: It looked pretty good. I always fight the weight demons, and that cookie, skillet cookie with ice cream, that's going to be tough for me to pass. But I got to do it. I can't be doing that right now.