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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 20, 2009

Phil Mickelson

FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK

Q. It's only been six hours, it seems like?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, we had a great end of the draw. And the weather this morning is great. I can't believe the storm's coming in. Hopefully it will stay away. But the conditions right now couldn't be better.

Q. Do you feel like you've not missed an opportunity to put another competitor's score up on the board with the weather today?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think we all left shots out there. But I'm in a position that I'm only, what, six back heading into the last two rounds. Only halfway through. We'll all be playing under the same conditions now.
So I like the position I'm in. I think the big thing for me was I struggled with the putter the first round, round and a half. And I started to turn it around there in the end and make some and feel good with it. And I think that if I can get hot with the putter I like my chances in the next two rounds.

Q. Is this going to mess up your vacation plans next week if we're here through Tuesday. You were going to take off and go to some exotic tropical locale?
PHIL MICKELSON: I won't have much turnover time as soon as I get home. But that's fine. We're still going to go.

Q. What is it about the tee shot on 13 that's been a pain?
PHIL MICKELSON: 13? Why has that been a pain? That's a good question. I don't have a great answer for you. I don't know.

Q. Is that where you lost the ball the other day?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yesterday, yeah.

Q. You like the way you're swinging overall?
PHIL MICKELSON: I've been hitting the ball well, yes, hit a lot of good shots and mid-irons that have been close that has given myself a lot of birdie opportunities. I feel like I've hit the ball very well the first two rounds.

Q. Close to being embedded, did you ask the official to look at it?
PHIL MICKELSON: It flew right into its hallmark but there's so much grass that it was deemed it did not break the ground even though it was buried. And I don't disagree with the ruling. I understand the rule.
But I still wanted to get it double checked. And didn't get relief. So I took it unplayable.

Q. What did you figure out with the putting and when did it really start feeling more comfortable?
PHIL MICKELSON: On hole 4 yesterday is when I started to get it turned around and get the ball, get the putter face releasing a little bit, squaring up better and getting the ball tracking, and from there on out every putt started on line and had a good tight roll. They didn't all go in but they all had a chance.

Q. Looks like the pacing will probably be changing every day, going from dry to sopping wet?
PHIL MICKELSON: They've kept it pretty consistent though. I couldn't believe 18 as under water as it was just two days ago, we all hit the fairway. We all had mud on our ball so we were looking for casual somewhere to be able to clean it.
There was no casual water on that fairway which is amazing after it was under water.

Q. Barely have any mud on those white pants. Must have kept it in the fairway?
PHIL MICKELSON: You would think. (Laughter).

Q. Locals here I'm sure would have had Bethpage showing its teeth, with the conditions, the wind hasn't been a factor. Do you think this course right now is about as attackable as it can be?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yes, but I wouldn't say it hasn't shown its teeth. This is a very difficult golf course. It's long. The rough is very difficult, and just a very few yards off the fairways in spots is literally lose your ball or unplayable lie. The drive on 13 wasn't that far off line. It was nine yards, eight yards from the fairway but it was unplayable.
I wouldn't say this course still doesn't have teeth. It's very difficult. Ernie Els, one of the best players in the game, was 15 over. It's not easy. With the greens being soft you can get the balls close to the holes and make birdies you're right.

Q. Is there a number after 36 holes that you can be trailing and still feel comfortable that you can make up that sort of ground with 36 left?
PHIL MICKELSON: I don't really look too much in the U.S. Open relative to what other players are doing, because it's just too easy for guys to make mistakes. Once you start coming back you just come all the way back.
So in the U.S. Open I'm not really worried about other players. I just know that around par is going to be a good score. This year it very well may be under par. But it's only a birdie here or there that gets me right back in it. So I'm not really worried about other players as much as I am keeping myself under par.

Q. But it's not like if I'm 10 strokes out with 36 to play I still have a chance; it's more just doing your thing?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think so, yeah.

Q. Sounds like they're going to try to get, weather permitting, get back on track today and go off both tees; do you think they can get this tournament done by tomorrow or would you like to be able to come back this afternoon and play?
PHIL MICKELSON: I wouldn't rule it out. If the weather stays off we'll definitely get it in. But they've made it very clear we're going 72 holes. However long it takes. And it's nice knowing from a player's standpoint, because it allows you to play a certain way.
I wasn't out there pressing today forcing birdies thinking this might be 54 holes. And knowing that it's 72 is helpful.

Q. What's the best thing you've heard from the locals out here, the natives, one-liners?
PHIL MICKELSON: The best one I heard was -- I can't really say. But it was the funniest one I've heard. Three holes into my practice round so far that's been hanging tough with all the other comments.

Q. Tell us about 15?
PHIL MICKELSON: 15.

Q. What kind of lie you had, studying some options?
PHIL MICKELSON: That's a very difficult -- that's a harder drive for me I think than 13. But the way the left side kind of cuts in it's just awkward to my eye. I have a tendency to miss it left there.
The lie wasn't great. It was in the thick rough. But it wasn't horrible. Short, it's terrible there. And with those pins just on that top section it's very difficult to get up and down. I thought I could get a 5-iron out of that rough up by the green. And I was concerned that it might come out a little dead and be short. I took the hybrid and dug in after it and was able to get it there. I actually thought I was trying to play over the green and get it past. But it came out dead and turned out perfect.

Q. What did you have to do to get that much loft on the elevation coming out of a rough like that?
PHIL MICKELSON: You have to open it way up. I opened it way up. This is a special club I actually made taking the back part of the hybrid out so that I can open it way up and get through that thick rough.

Q. With the wedge?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah.

End of FastScripts

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