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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

May 6, 2010

Phil Mickelson

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA

Q. It was a good day. You didn't play that well, but you still managed to score 2-under.
PHIL MICKELSON: Shooting 70 today isn't the round that you want. We came out in perfect conditions. There wasn't much wind, the greens were receptive, and there were a lot of low scores.
But the reason I think this was a good day for me is I just didn't have it. I let a lot of shots slide on the course today around the greens. Had a 6-iron and a couple par-5s that I didn't take advantage of and made pars, and yet I was able to shoot a couple under par.
So tomorrow if I can come out and get hot and shoot something in the mid-60s, I'll can get back in the tournament.

Q. Is this where the golf course should be at this point in its genesis?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think the TOUR would like to have the course a little firmer. We've had so much rain the last couple of days that it has played softer than they anticipate. But with the sub-air system, and the lack of rain the rest of the week, I think the course will play progressively firmer and faster as the week goes on.

Q. Tell us about the third shot you hit on 9. Is that where you want to hit your second shot? Did you want to hit it that close?
PHIL MICKELSON: I had a chance to go for the green. But if you miss that green left or right to that pin, sometimes you're fighting for par and don't have a great chance for an up-and-down. So I played back a little bit, gave myself 50 yards, and it allows me to use that slope to the left of the pin. Allows me to skip one up or try to fly it back to the hole if I choose.
There I just hit a little bump shot, let it skip and check by the hole. And there is that big bank to the left. So you want to be coming in slightly from the right side of the fairway to take advantage of it.

Q. With the good start on 10, I guess it was a birdie, did you feel good at that point?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I did. I felt great. Started out with the birdie and felt the round was off and running. But I hit 6-iron into 11 after a good drive. And put it right where I wanted it. Hitting the bank and came back in the bunker should be no problem. Had a terrible bunker shot and was lucky to make par. So I let a couple of those slide.
Same thing on 2. I hit 6-iron, missed it to the right. Had an easy up-and-down and flubbed it. I let a lot of shots slide around the greens, so I'll go spend some time working on that.
It could have been a great round, but I don't think it's a bad round in the sense that I was able to hang in there and have my round where I just didn't have it, still put me in position.

Q. Yesterday Dustin talked to us about how important your friendship and relationship is with him. You've played three out of your last four rounds here with him. Could you talk about your friendship and what you see in his talent?
PHIL MICKELSON: I enjoy playing with Dustin. I enjoy being around him. I think he's one of the premier talents we have on the TOUR. He hits the ball as long and as straight as anybody I've seen, and he's got a lot of guts. He likes to go at pins and he tries to win golf tournaments.
He's a very good putter and great short game. I don't see any deficiencies in his game. I think he's going to continue to get better and better and he's only 25.
There is one thing you just can't have a substitute for and that's speed. He definitely has speed in his golf swing.

Q. He says he hits it longer than you.
PHIL MICKELSON: Oh, yeah, oh, yeah. I'm almost 40, man. I'm not claiming to outdrive anybody. But he's a heck of a player.

Q. Talk about the chips and the ones you flubbed. Where were they and what happened?
PHIL MICKELSON: Bunker shot on 11. The shot on 14 just a little L-wedge that pulled up 12 feet short and didn't make it. Number 2, just to the right of the green. Just a Johnny-Basic flop shot. Good lie, no problems there. Just didn't hit a good one.

Q. You're looking very easily at 60-something?
PHIL MICKELSON: If I hit some shots, but I didn't. Like I said, I didn't quite have it. To shoot 2-under, I made some good putts to keep the round going. I had to make a 10-footer for par on that second hole after that 6-iron in. I made some good shots and kept the round going.
Again, 2-under is not what I wanted today. But there is a round in the mid 60s. If I can shoot that tomorrow, I'll get right back in it.

End of FastScripts

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