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DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIPAugust 31, 2013Phil MickelsonNORTON, MASSACHUSETTS PHIL MICKELSON: That was one of my best numbers right there, because I was playing terrible. And I shot even par. I fought hard. And throughout 72 holes, throughout the course of my career, it happens, where you kind of lose it a little bit. I fought hard in the interim and was able to find it there in the end to give me confidence heading into the weekend. But more than that, it kept me within striking distance. And sometimes when you lose it, I could easily have shot myself out of the tournament. I shot even par today. I got it in the hazard I don't know how many times. If I go on and play the way I believe I'm going to this weekend I'm going to look back at those nine holes as the key to the entire tournament. Q. The best shot of the day, perhaps, was just off the green at 11. Describe that for people who would love to be able to hit a shot like that. PHIL MICKELSON:  I could describe it, but nobody is going to understand that. It was a really good shot. Q. Is that as good a shot as you could possibly have hit in that situation? PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I've not seen anybody else hit that shot, to be able to spin it back from that distance and lob it. It sure looks good. Q. Tiger Woods and Adam Scott were actually joking with you on 12 as they walked off the tee. What were they saying to you about that shot? PHIL MICKELSON: They were laughing at it, too. Because it's just a hard shot to hit. I played terrible obviously for nine holes. But that was almost me at my best, because I could have easily shot myself right out of the tournament, when I just kind of lost it there for a few holes. But instead I was able to find it there at the end. I feel like I know now what I want to do with my golf swing heading into the weekend. I'm putting unbelievable. If I'm able to play tomorrow the way I believe I'm going to, I'm going to look back on that nine, ten hole stretch as being the key to the entire tournament. Q. Talk me through 11, because that's ridiculous. PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know how to explain that shot. It's a hard one to hit. Q. Well, the ground had to be firm in order for you to be able to spin it that much. PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah. But still the angle of attack and the face angle and the weight‑‑ all that stuff factored in to be able to come off right. And it came off perfect. It's not a very high percentage shot. I got lucky that it didn't hit a tree and go in the hazard. That ball was headed so far right. And to even have a chance, and then pulled it off, it wasn't an easy shot. Q. You could have shot yourself out of the tournament but as it is you've still got a chance. PHIL MICKELSON: Well, that's exactly it. I'm looking forward to the weekend, I feel like I've figured it out the last few holes and I can't wait to get back on the course tomorrow. Q. What did you do to right your ship with the swing the last few holes? PHIL MICKELSON: Just a slight adjustment in the follow through and so forth. I was just hanging back and flipping it, and hanging back and wiping it with a slice. And I started to move forward on it, release the club and hit shots, you know, the way you're supposed to. But I mentally just kind of lost it for a few holes. But that was‑‑ I thought that was actually one of my better moments there, because it could have easily gone away, some of the shots I was hitting. And instead I fought to hang in there. I shot even par. And I feel like the game actually just turned around the last few holes. I'm looking forward to this weekend. I feel like I have the direction now I was looking for ball‑striking wise, and I'm putting really good. Q. Is it a matter of overswing? PHIL MICKELSON: No, just‑‑ no, it was just poor swings. Q. (Inaudible.) PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know, but over the course‑‑ nobody is going to play 72 holes perfectly. You're going to have up‑and‑downs and flows and it's going to come and it's going to go. The key is a lot of people just let it go when that happens and they shoot themselves right out of the tournament. Where if they get hot the next day it doesn't get them up at the top of the leaderboard, it just kind of gets them in the middle of the pack. But that right there, the last ten holes, kept me within striking distance. I'm within five going into the weekend. I'm putting really well. And I feel like I keyed in on what I want to do with my golf swing. I'm excited about the weekend. I'm going to look back on those ten holes as being the key ten holes. Q. Anything on the tee shot on 9 that you were going for? PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, 9, that hole has historically given me problems off the tee. I've been in the left hazard numerous times. It's just an uncomfortable hole for me off the tee, snap hooked it yesterday, block sliced it today. But the fairway is huge. It's plenty big. It just doesn't fit my eye. And I'll have to think of doing something different tomorrow, I'm not sure what yet. Q. When you lose it mentally like that, how tough is it to grind through it? PHIL MICKELSON: It's tough because it's embarrassing to hit shots like that, and to have a bunch of people out there playing with Tiger and having every shot exposed on TV, you know, it's embarrassing. But we all have our moments like that. And you just have to deal with it. But the way I was able to birdie the last couple, figure it out, I'm excited about the weekend. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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