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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 20, 2009

Mike Weir

FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK

Q. You had a 10-, 12-footer you're sleeping on. How is your --
MIKE WEIR: It's about 17 feet, I made sure last night it was just over five paces. Knock that in. That's the reason I didn't putt last night because I knew, have daylight and be able to see the read a little better and have smooth greens, and the greens are perfect out there. That whole nine holes, really that putting saved me that nine holes. Hit some good shots and some not-so-good ones. Able to scramble. All in all, to get it back to even for the day, I'm pleased.

Q. Could you contrast the third nine yesterday where you lost a little momentum with the first nine today where you picked up where you left off?
MIKE WEIR: Yeah. You know, that's what I told myself yesterday. I played that nine holes and I played it well yesterday and didn't make anything. I didn't have a 1-putt, I did have on No. 5 shipped it and that was my only 1-putt on the front nine. I didn't get anything going that nine holes yesterday.
So it was nice to get real nice greens and had a nice feel for them and make a few.

Q. What kind of clubs have you been hitting in on some of these longer par-4s out there, hybrids and whatnot?
MIKE WEIR: No. 12 today I hit another great hybrid 2-iron into 12. Hit it about five feet into 12. Made birdie there again with a hybrid. So those clubs have been good to me. I've hit a number of really good shots. I had to hit it into 17 again. 3-iron hybrid. I'm trying to think where else.

Q. How many hybrids do you carry?
MIKE WEIR: 2 and 3-iron. So I use them a number of times this week. Out of the rough it's been good. Just to get -- messed around five woods out of the rough to see what would work better and those things seem to be working well.

Q. Did you come out with the same aggressive mentality today that you were talking about yesterday. Wanted to get off to a good solid start. Wanted to put myself back into the same flow I got off to yesterday. Shoot a couple under for those nine holes was good?

Q. Anything about Ricky Barnes?
MIKE WEIR: I know Ricky. It's been a number of years. I think when he first started college I played with him a number of times. Few starts. Talented. Paying his dues on some of the smaller tours and working his way up here, good to see him playing well.

Q. People mentioned mud balls yesterday. What were conditions like today?
MIKE WEIR: It wasn't bad. There's 18 fairway, for some reason seems to stay a little wetter than maybe some of the other fairways, but can't think of any that I really -- like a big mud ball. A little bit of mud on the ball but didn't seem to be affecting it too much. It really affects when you get those big clumps on there and 18 might be a hole today that you might get some of that. But other than that, the course is great.

Q. What about being in your position and having to now deal with the stop-start-stop-start thing?
MIKE WEIR: It's difficult. It's a different -- you love to just kind of be day-after-day kind of normal routine. This is [] odd able to go now I'll be able to practice a little bit work on a few things I need to iron out and go back to the hotel four or five hours, see how the course is playing, watch them a little bit and figure out, guestimate what my tee time is going to be to come out and warm up again.
It's been a lot of starting and stopping this week. It's just been a test of patience and trying to be in the right state of mind each time you come out not to let things change too much. It's difficult for everybody.

Q. Contention for a major, though, does it make it particularly --
MIKE WEIR: It's harder for sure. But, again, I use 2003 Masters as an example. The mentality I use there I'm trying to use that same mentality of just some of these things are out of your control. So not to worry about it and just see what happens and hopefully this little front blows through even though I saw the radar doesn't look too good.

Q. Strategically would you like to start today or would you prefer to come out fresh tomorrow and hope to get 36?
MIKE WEIR: It doesn't really matter. I'm just going to be ready for whatever happens. So I guess ideally I'd love to get nine holes in today and I think I'm sure the USGA would love to finish this tournament tomorrow if somehow we got some good weather and able to play 27 tomorrow and get it done.

Q. In a circumstance like this, the guys with the good draws feel sympathy for the guys with the bad draws?
MIKE WEIR: We've all been on both ends of the draw of the spectrum. You get good, you get bad. And there's no question, our side of the draw got the better side of it. Feel sympathy, I don't know about that. It's just -- because I've had it plenty of times the other way. I don't think anybody feels sympathy out here.

Q. You've had several top 5s in this tournament. How much would it mean to you to come away with this championship and how well suited do you feel you are to win this tournament?
MIKE WEIR: Well, I've played a number of U.S. Opens well and especially here in New York. And Shinnecock I think I was fourth and Winged Foot I think I was fifth or sixth, something like that. So before I won the Masters if you were to ask me what major I thought I'd win if I was to win one, I would have thought this one.
I think my record's probably been the best consistency-wise in the U.S. Open. So, yeah, obviously I'd love -- it would be a thrill to win this but we've got a long way to go before that.

Q. You referenced the Masters in '02 and how chopped up that week was. I can't remember, what did you face in terms of --
MIKE WEIR: The number of holes and things like that?

Q. What was your situation day-to-day. Seemed like there was no finality to any days there either. You were always kind of hanging?
MIKE WEIR: It was similar. Thursday was -- I think it was the last time we were actually rained out. Total rainout on Thursday. And I played 29 holes. I think I got to No. 3 on the second wave round. And I had to come back No. 4 and finish that nine on Saturday morning and then keep going.
So I played 29 holes the first day and what's that? 20, 18, whatever, the next day. And I think the last two days were okay.

Q. 19 for the final?
MIKE WEIR: 19 the final day. So Sunday was the perfect day.

Q. I think played a practice round Monday, Tuesday. Think about your own game at that point. But did it seem like it would be pretty good form, are you surprised at all to see him doing what he's doing?
MIKE WEIR: He did seem in good form. I'm not really surprised. I think even though Nick's an amateur, you look at a young fellow like Rory Mcilroy, even though he's a pro, they're similary age and he's had similar experience to do things at a young age. That's kind of the wave of golf now. Started to seem like that more with the women's game, a little more, the younger players in the women's game excelling. And now it seems to be trickling over to the men. I'm not surprised at all. He's got a great head on his shoulders, impressed with him and hopefully he keeps going. He's got a great future.

Q. Why did you predict that the U.S. Open could be one you would win; is it because of your consistency or something more specific?
MIKE WEIR: With my game out here? I would say -- if I was to look at all the majors as I started my career, I thought I'm not the longest hitter, but usually pretty consistent and I'm very determined, I would say. And I usually find a way to get it in the hole. Might not be the prettiest. But usually find a way to get it in the hole.

Q. If I remember the PGA at Oak Hill was almost like a U.S. Open-like setup, it was rougher than this one?
MIKE WEIR: The PGA at Oak Hill, it was like this, it was very hard and difficult golf course. Always seemed to play tough golf courses fairly well. I don't mind that. You just know it's going to be a long week.
There's going to be moments in there where you're going to struggle and great stuff in there hopefully as well. And you just gotta be able to handle all of it.

Q. You're obviously longer than Pavin, but do you identify with that style of game as a good shot-maker and putter?
MIKE WEIR: I'm a little longer than Corey, but he got it done at difficult Shinnecock and hitting -- back then, I don't know if we had hybrids -- but hit the 4-wood in the last hole and shaped that thing right in there. It can be done by some shorter hitters.
We had a good time. Played nicely today in the second round, putted really nicely. So it was good for him to get it back.

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