LIV GOLF SINGAPORE

April 29, 2023

Phil Mickelson

Sentosa Golf Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Phil Mickelson, the captain of HyFlyers GC.

Phil, you had a day. You were 5-under for the day, four birdies in a row on the front nine, holed out for eagle on 7, HyFlyers are at the top of the leaderboard. Tell us what's going on out there.

PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, it's been a fun week for us so far and we're continuing to get better and better each week. We had a really good chance in Tucson and we didn't play great in the final round. Tomorrow is another opportunity for us to continue to improve and take advantage of the opportunities and the way our games have progressed as a team and for me and Cameron Tringale to make a run at the individual title as well. So there's a lot to play for and we're having a blast.

THE MODERATOR: That's great.

Mike?

Q. I wanted to ask you about how much of an impact your weight loss was in regards to dealing with hot temperatures like it is out here, if you feel like that's really made a positive impact, especially in hot weather?

PHIL MICKELSON: I think so. I think it's made a big impact. But there's a couple other things that have been helping me. My brother, my caddie, Tim, has been very helpful. I've been using an umbrella, that saved a lot of direct sun, as well as a wet cold wet towel on the back of my neck keeping my temperature down. It's really helped me with being able to think a little clearer throughout the day without getting overheated.

Then I kind of liked the hot temperature because my body is looser, it doesn't tighten up, I'm able to create a little bit more speed, and so I end up playing a little bit better in it. But the challenge is not overheating.

Q. And then after that quick start you had, you seemed to really keep the foot on the pedal.

PHIL MICKELSON: I really had to fight hard after that. I was 5-under through 5 and I finished 5-under, but I had to fight. I had a couple drives that were right on the edge that ended up in the hazard.

But I fought hard to salvage par on 16. And then coming in, I had three putts that I thought I made on 17, 18 and 1 that were just right on the lip. That would have been nice to move up there. But I hit a lot more good shots today. I've got a few things to work on. But I know what I'm trying to do and if I can have another good start tomorrow and finish the round off a little bit more authority, it's going to be a good day.

Q. Can you just take us through that eagle and especially what were you thinking with the third shot over there?

PHIL MICKELSON: So I hit a drive right on the edge of the fairway and if it was in the fairway and I would have been able to create my own lie, I would have gone for it. But I was in the rough and I felt if I went for it the miss could be big if I didn't hit it perfect. So I ended up laying up. I said, I hit some good iron shots. I hit a really good iron shot on the hole previous, 6, I hit it about three feet and made birdie and I thought, gosh, I'm hitting my short irons really well, let me just get it in play and try to drive a short iron in there close. I hit a really good little cut 9-iron into that slope and it just kept releasing and went in. Like I thought it was going to pull up a little short and it just kept running out until it disappeared and it was a cool feeling to see that ball go in.

Q. The other thing that we've noticed is that you are just shaping the shots on every possible hole. I mean, you're not just taking the straight route out. Is that just to show off your confidence or is it something that you really planned for this golf course?

PHIL MICKELSON: So there's a number of shots that I'm trying to take advantage of the nuances of the golf course, of the fairways, of the contours. For instance, on 15 there's that hump in the fairway. If I can get that ball low enough it will help keep it to the right of the water and keep it in the fairway. So the last two days I hit this little low cut and used the land and the contour to try to keep that ball in play. So I'm just trying to give myself a little bit more margin of error on some of these shots. But I've got three clubs to hit off the tee. I got a driver, a 2 wood and a 3-wood this week because there's so many options on the tee boxes here of where you want to hit it. So when the wind's changing and so forth I feel like I have the shot that I need, despite whatever or regardless of whatever the conditions are.

Q. Is that the first time that you are using driver, 2- and 3-wood?

PHIL MICKELSON: I believe it is.

Q. Congrats on fighting back today.

PHIL MICKELSON: Thank you.

Q. The question is, were you looking at the leaderboard individually -- you mentioned you and Cameron had a chance for the individual title -- or were you kind of concentrating on what was going on with your team?

PHIL MICKELSON: Certainly both. I was trying to see -- you don't get to see the leaderboard, all the scores, all the team scores, all the individual scores. So I was just catching glimpses of it. But I was certainly wanting to know how we were doing. It's fun pulling for our guys, it's fun pulling for our team and it's also fun to have a chance to try to get myself in contention for tomorrow's round.

Q. Just to follow-up, on the team side, are you guys, it's an early day today, we had a really early tee time. So is there any plans tonight? You guys going to get together as a team?

PHIL MICKELSON: Really our plan is to get ourselves ready for the round tomorrow. So it might be practicing, it might be working with our physical therapist Geno, it might be getting a light workout in or it might be just resting and getting hydrated. Just depends on what we all need to give ourselves the best chance to play well tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: All right, looks like it will be a battle tomorrow both for the individual and the team championship. Congratulations and good luck.

PHIL MICKELSON: Thanks, guys.