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MASTERS TOURNAMENTApril 8, 2011Phil MickelsonAUGUSTA, GEORGIA Q. It could have been a little better out there today, even though you're not in a terrible spot. PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I left a lot of shots out there. With my short game I saved par a lot the first day and felt really sharp. And today it was just a little bit off. There were six times I thought I would get up-and-down and I didn't. I can't afford to do that, because that's my game plan to give myself angles to where I can take advantage of my short game. I left way too many shots out there. Q. So between the pine straw shot on number 8, 3-wood I believe it was, and 17 when you went through the Pines, and number 7 where you went, got it within one foot, which one of those was degree of difficulty was the hardest, because they all looked pretty tough? PHIL MICKELSON: 17 was the hardest because number 7, believe it or not, I'm trying to, I was in the fairway, I was trying to be in the right side of the fairway and the reason is I can hook it into that pin, whereas if I'm in the left side of the fairway and I have to cut it around the trees, I can't get to it. So I'm actually playing up the right side and even though there's some limps in my way I like to be able to hook it around back there. Number 8 I was seven yards from where I was trying to hit it because that back right pin is the hardest pin on number 8. And I have got to be right off the tee because to get to -- my second shot has to be left of the pin. And I can't get left of the pin from the left side of the fairway cutting it, cutting a shot. So I got to be right so that I could hit something hard and draw it. So that wasn't a hard shot at all. But one on 17 was a good one because there wasn't much room, there was just enough room for a ball to fit. Q. Why didn't you play a low line drive with a draw? PHIL MICKELSON: On 17? Q. On 17. Yeah. Because you had to go through the trees the way you did it. PHIL MICKELSON: Well I thought that -- well the area was, you know, it fit where if I just hit a nice wedge I thought, hey, I could get it close. I mean, if I was playing for par I would have gone low. But I thought that I could get a wedge with enough spin to stop it on that down slope and maybe make a birdie. Q. Talk about Rory's play. PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I mean he's great playing, he's a great player, it's no surprise at all. He hits the ball long, I expect him to play well on this golf course throughout his career and it's not a surprise. There's a lot of golf left in this tournament and I'm going to be making a run at him and the other guys ahead of me here on Saturday. Q. How much energy do you draw from these crowds here where obviously they love you very much, you move people like not too many golfers do around here. PHIL MICKELSON: Well, thank you. The people here have been terrific. We have got some of the best patrons in golf. I really enjoy playing here for them. Q. Where do you draw the confidence to say that you're going to take a run at the guys in front of you? PHIL MICKELSON: Three green jackets? I don't know. (Laughter.) Q. Jack winning at 46, how good would Freddie be at 51, present company excepted? PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, it would be a pretty special feat, but, yes, with Fred it's not that surprising. As well as he plays this golf course, as well as he hits the ball, and it seems like year in and year out he gets better and better with the putter and I wouldn't be surprised one bit. Q. The guy can barely walk. PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah. I've seen him play, it's not that surprising. Q. Was Amy here? PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah. Q. How good is it from a year ago to have her here? PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I'm going to go up and watch with her. And it's fun having her out here. We're in such a much better place. You can tell she's doing so much better and we're really, really happy about where we're at. Q. Did she follow you around a little bit today? PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, she was out there. Yeah. Q. The blade just wasn't working as well for you today. PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I thought I drove the ball great. I hit the ball very long and the spots that I was trying to hit it. So I was able to be aggressive to a lot of holes. But I didn't get up-and-down. When I went aggressive and missed on the wrong side I had an up-and-down, I had a shot, and I didn't do it. And I'm not, I usually -- the first day and in years past I've been able to not give those strokes away. Today I left quite a few out there. Q. Could you be tired? You were out here about 12 hours yesterday. PHIL MICKELSON: You know, I didn't feel that. I think that the energy and the adrenaline you get from playing here in the Masters, I don't think tired is ever an issue for any player out here. Q. What holes did you use the driver that you didn't have in the bag yesterday? PHIL MICKELSON: 11. Wait, I'm sorry, 11 I used the one from yesterday. Every other hole I used the longer one. Q. Was your performance at the third hole kind of a microcosm of the day. Great drive -- PHIL MICKELSON: Missed it in the wrong spot. But again it wasn't a hard up-and-down, I had plenty of green to work with, good lie, uphill lie, 64 degree wedge basic little shot and I hit it 12, 15 feet by. I mean, I felt like I could go ahead and get aggressive, because I felt I could get it up-and-down if I didn't. Same thing on 5. I've been to the right on that hole I've gotten it up-and-down every time in past years, it's not that hard a shot. And yet -- so I went ahead and got aggressive and missed it in the wrong spot and, but again, should have been able to get it up-and-down. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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