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HP BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIPMay 23, 2009John MallingerIRVING, TEXAS MARK WILLIAMS: John, thanks for coming in, 65, 5-under in the third round at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Bogey-free today. Looks like a pretty steady day looking at the scorecard. Talk about your round. You're obviously tied for the lead. JOHN MALLINGER: It was overall pretty solid. I didn't make many mistakes. I kind of had a game plan going in and I stuck with it. I executed, and that was the biggest thing. Being that leader, it was always a little different feeling. So when you come in with five birdies, if someone would have told me I was going to shoot 65 and still be tied for the lead, I would have said they were crazy. But there were some opportunities out there, and our group kind of just fed off each other. Q. Can you elaborate on the game plan? JOHN MALLINGER: Yeah, just the same type of stuff. You've got to be able to drive the ball well, because if you're driving it way off it's tough to score. I drove the ball well and I made some crucial putts when I needed to. Q. I know this may sound silly, but is today more fun when you're just relaxed through a round versus yesterday where you got the most out of what you could do yesterday? JOHN MALLINGER: Oh, yeah. Yesterday was kind of up and down, eagles, birdies, back and forth, bogeys. Today was the type of golf that I like to play. Normally that's my game. I usually don't hit it too far off line, and when I'm putting well is usually when I go kind of low. Q. With the way things are going, like you said, you shoot 5-under and are still tied for the lead. How does this set up for tomorrow knowing that the low scores are out there? JOHN MALLINGER: Same type of stuff. You know, I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing. I know it's going to be tough. Rory is a hometown guy. There's a lot of guys rooting for him. But I've got some buddies that can get pretty loud out there. It should be fun. I know he's going to play hard, I'm going to play as hard as I can, and whoever comes out is the best player for the week. Q. Speaking of your buddies, one of them is supposed to be in Paris this week? JOHN MALLINGER: That's correct. It was a pretty funny story. My buddy Mark Knowles, he plays doubles tennis, he was supposed to take off today, and we had a bet if I got in the leader group he had to change his flight until tomorrow. He's off tomorrow. He's going to watch the last round, and if he gets to the finals I've got to fly over there. Q. So he's going to leave tonight? JOHN MALLINGER: He's going to leave tomorrow after the round. Q. So he's going to stay all the way through? JOHN MALLINGER: Yeah. Q. Now, if you win, is there an if? Does he have to stay and celebrate? Or is he allowed to get on the plane? JOHN MALLINGER: He's probably allowed to get on the plane. Q. What happens if you don't win? JOHN MALLINGER: If I don't win, nothing. Q. But if he gets to the French finals -- JOHN MALLINGER: I've got to go over there. Q. Does he play singles, also? JOHN MALLINGER: He doesn't anymore, no. He started playing singles but now he's a full-time doubles player. I think he's 3 in the world now. Q. Are you guys buddies from college? JOHN MALLINGER: Yeah, friends of mine knew him in college, and we just kind of met and kicked it off. I go down and play his charity event actually every year in the Bahamas. He's got a charity deal for tennis, and I go down there and have some fun. Q. Are you a better tennis player than he is a golfer? JOHN MALLINGER: It's borderline. We actually had a bet this week, if I could get two points out of one set for $200, and I got skunked. You know, he's on his game right now. Q. What kind of strokes do you give him when you guys play golf? JOHN MALLINGER: He's an 11, so I've got to give him some strokes. Q. What would you be in tennis if it was -- JOHN MALLINGER: I'd probably be about an 8, maybe a 9. Q. Being as straight as you are, is it more fun now playing when you have two-and-a-half-inch rough, or would you prefer to be in a place where guys who may hit it off line may have a more difficult time? This course is set up pretty nicely for you guys. JOHN MALLINGER: It is. I like a little more rough. It favors me. But you know, there was times my first round I didn't drive it well, and I still hit 75 percent of my greens, which would never normally happen for me. So you know, it goes both ways. Q. Was it very windy today? JOHN MALLINGER: No, it was perfect today. Maybe five, six miles an hour, but it was a pretty nice day for what was expected. Q. How did you play 11, the short par-4? JOHN MALLINGER: I've laid up every day. Q. So what did you hit off the tee there? Like a 7-iron or something? JOHN MALLINGER: The first day I hit 5, the second I hit 7, and then today I hit 4-iron and tried to push it up there a little farther. Q. Was there ever a thought of just trying to bomb it up there and go for it? JOHN MALLINGER: Yeah, obviously it crossed my mind. It's not quite my style of play. But if it fits my eye, then I'm going to do it. I've got to have a pretty good wind for me. But I trust my wedge game more than anything else. If I can get a good number, then my chances of making birdie are probably about the same. Q. Is that a tricky approach shot there? It seems like that green is really wild. JOHN MALLINGER: Yeah, you've got a big ridge right there you've got to deal with, but these guys are pretty good when you get them 100 yards and in. Q. How big was your finish at THE PLAYERS? JOHN MALLINGER: Massive. I came down the stretch and I beat 15 or 20 of the top players in the world. When you do that, you get so much confidence and you can just roll with that. It was one of those deals, I executed coming down, and that's the big thing for me. You know, a lot of people don't realize that kind of pressure when you're coming in 16, 17, 18 when we're there, and it's a little different feeling than anything else. Q. You talk so much about the confidence and the confidence you got from there, have talked about it a bunch. When you start the year, are there goals you have set for yourself? And how many of them are swing-related and how many of them are more head-related? JOHN MALLINGER: More head, not so much swing. I'm at a point where my golf swing is not going to change much. I try to get it the most consistent that I can. I'm the type of player that just tries to repeat everything. I don't curve the ball too much. I'm not going to overpower a golf course. But when I set goals, they're real specific goals. I do it every single year and then I do a mid-year goal, and then I kind of evaluate at the end and see where I am. MARK WILLIAMS: If the trip to Paris eventuates, how much will that affect your schedule? JOHN MALLINGER: If we get a win tomorrow, it doesn't matter (laughter). Q. It would mean Memorial is what it would mean. If you get a win tomorrow would you still play in the qualifier for the Open? JOHN MALLINGER: I am not playing in the qualifier on Monday for the Open. I've already decided that. MARK WILLIAMS: John, appreciate your time. Good luck tomorrow. End of FastScripts |
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