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July 12, 2008
LUSS, SCOTLAND
Q. Links golf, how much practise do you have to put in to regain the feel that's necessary?
PHIL MICKELSON: I feel the amount of practise is more of an individual thing. Some guys require a little bit more than others. I think everybody is trying to get their best game out, and so they are preparing the best way for them, and each individual has to do it a little bit differently.
Q. Are you a top player that enjoys the test that will bring?
PHIL MICKELSON: I do enjoy the challenge. It's always been a big challenge for me in my career playing in that championship. The last few years I feel I've got acclimated and enjoying it more.
Royal Birkdale is the first place I ever played an Open in 1991, so it's a special place for me.
Q. What are your views on the course itself?
PHIL MICKELSON: I've always liked it. I think it's an incredibly fair test of golf. There are many holes where short of the green are flat and you can get a bounce that you expect, and I think that good shot-making gets rewarded there.
Q. In regards to this week, I'm sure you've been welcomed with open arms, and recently you've been travelling further afield; what are your feelings on Scotland itself?
PHIL MICKELSON: I've enjoyed coming here to the Scottish Open for a number of years. I always enjoy my time over here. I enjoy the golf courses. Loch Lomond is very similar to courses in America where you have to fly the ball and soft, but if you just drive a few miles, you get the firm ground of links golf. There's such a great variety here, I've always enjoyed coming.
Q. Weather today was tougher than yesterday, more wind?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, it's starting to die down a little bit but it was a lot tougher conditions. The scores are not going to be as low. I think playing the ball down also will have an effect. Shots around the greens are tougher because you're to the having a perfect lie. I thought that, gosh, if I could have the shot a few under par, I would be right back in it. I don't think the leaders are going to go too far under par, it's going to be a difficult challenge.
Q. With Birkdale being soft, will that play into your hands?
PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know if it will be. I played there and I didn't find it that sort. The greens were still firm and the fairways were softer than expected, but I think it's still links golf. And the forecast next week is not supposed to be as wet and if that's the case it will dry out awfully quick.
Q. What were the problems you had today?
PHIL MICKELSON: I shot even par in tough conditions. It wasn't that bad of a round, but I just didn't quite get it going. I don't know, I made a few birdies early on but kind of stalled with a couple of bogeys and didn't get the momentum going. It was a round that could very easily have been a round I needed.
Q. Still waiting for the good one?
PHIL MICKELSON: I am. I felt like yesterday and today could have been really should go low.
End of FastScripts
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