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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPMay 10, 2008Phil MickelsonPONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA Q. How are you feeling? You look like you're walking slow. Rough day physically? PHIL MICKELSON: You know, I'm a little sick. I got a little sick yesterday in the afternoon. It kind of hit me as I was walking up to 13 green. I had a really sore throat last night and a lot of energy was kind of drained, so I started some antibiotics, felt a lot better today. I took a bunch of Advil to get rid of kind of the body ache and discomfort, and didn't really warm up or practice today and tried to conserve a little energy and was able to play a good round. I'm starting to feel a little bit better, and hopefully we'll be able to put together the score that I need to. I feel like I'm playing well enough to shoot that round. I just haven't shot the right number. Today it could have very easily been 67, 68, and I let it slide to 71. Tomorrow I need to shoot something in the mid to high 60s to have a chance. I'm playing well enough to do it, I just have to do it. Q. Do you think high 60s might be enough? PHIL MICKELSON: It's possible. It just depends on the conditions. But at least I'm within striking distance. Although I haven't been getting out of the round what I feel I need to or should, I'm playing well. And the opportunity to shoot the number tomorrow necessary to win I think is there. Q. It looked like you changed putters. What did you change to? PHIL MICKELSON: I went to basically the putter I won with last year. I didn't putt the way I wanted to yesterday. Even though I started them on line, the short ones weren't as confident, and the line on that mallet makes it easier for me to line up. Q. Coming from behind tomorrow, do you feel like you're the kind of name that gets on a board with a couple of early birdies, and the other guys look at that leaderboard and go, "Here comes Mickelson"? PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know if that's the case, but I hope it is. I hope I can get off to a good start tomorrow with a couple of birdies. I'm not in a position where they're going to be thinking about me yet. You know, I've got to play well for the first 12, 13 holes probably before I can make enough birdies to have them take notice. But at least I'm somewhat there. Q. NBC seems shocked that Paul Goydos is leading this tournament. Are you? PHIL MICKELSON: I think that Paul Goydos is one of the nicest guys we have on TOUR, and he's a very solid player. I, as well as all the players, are happy to see him play well. Q. Have you seen two guys atop the leaderboard any more different? PHIL MICKELSON: What do you mean? Q. Names, personalities, Goydos and Sergio. PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know, there's obviously some good players right there. It's going to be a good final round. Q. When you're a few back, does it matter who's ahead of you? PHIL MICKELSON: I think it does. I think it matters to a degree, given that when Tiger is leading, you feel like you've got to make birdies to go catch him. There's a chance that if the weather is tough and it's windy that a lot of leaders will come back; although I thought today was a day that it could happen, and it just didn't. The guys on top have played very well. Q. Harrington said at the start of the week that no matter the conditions, there's always a score out there. Do you agree with that, that this identifies who's playing well as well as any course? PHIL MICKELSON: I think that the test is very fair. I think that the golf course is set up much more difficult, yet more fair than it has been in the past, because you can get to some pins and make some birdies on certain holes. But you also have areas you can miss it. There are short game areas that are in play, and all areas of your game are being tested. I think it's a much better test. Even though it's more challenging, more difficult, even though the scores aren't as low, I think it's a very fair test. Q. What would rain do tomorrow? PHIL MICKELSON: Well, rain would lower the scores. It would really make a big difference, shots into the green, getting the ball stopped. If rain is here, you have to readjust, reassess what your target score, what you think you have to shoot, and lower it a little bit. Q. No birdies on 18 today. Does that surprise you at all? PHIL MICKELSON: No, it doesn't surprise me. The thing is almost a par-5, even though it's short. It's more difficult than 16, and 16 is an actual par-5. So it doesn't surprise me. It would be like eagling the hole. Especially that pin, it's very difficult to get there. Q. What were you trying to do on 14? PHIL MICKELSON: I was trying to hit a low driver like I did on 11, like I did yesterday on 14, and just blocked it. I mean, it was just a terrible shot. End of FastScripts |
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