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April 6, 2014
HUMBLE, TEXAS
Q. Phil, four rounds. Are you happy with the way your game is treating you?
PHIL MICKELSON: It was okay. It could have been better, could have been worse, but the good thing was I felt good all week. I didn't have -- didn't feel any discomfort swinging and playing and the game is not far off, and looking forward to my favorite week of the year next week.
Q. Are you heading out to Augusta tonight? What are you working on the next few days?
PHIL MICKELSON: Not too much as far as swing or the course preparation because I've done most of that already. These next few days will be getting in touch and feel and all the little shots around the greens that are so intricate and necessary to pull off at Augusta.
Q. If you had to put it all together all day, certain stretches you did on the back there?
PHIL MICKELSON: It was a good tournament. I enjoyed the tournament. I enjoyed the four rounds, and the good thing for me was I felt great all four rounds. I didn't feel any pain or discomfort. Didn't play too badly. I'm a little nervous heading into next week. I haven't had the results, I haven't been in contention, I haven't won this year, so I'm certainly nervous about my chances, but it's my favorite week of the year.
I feel -- I felt healthy and ready to go, and it will be a challenge for me to deal with the pressure of the Masters and how much I love that tournament when I haven't been there much this year. But, I'm looking forward to it.
Q. So for you this is more about being -- feeling the anxiety and emotions rather than the physical play?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think it's important to have some momentum and to have been in contention heading into the Masters because there's a lot of pressure there, you feel it. And it's not the easiest thing to deal with and control if you haven't been exposed to it. And because I've been injured and haven't been healthy, I haven't been in contention this year. But, this week was the first week that I felt really good all week, and I'm excited by that. I'm excited about next week. It's my favorite week of the year. Hopefully I'll overcome some of those mental challenges.
Q. Phil, I know you talked about the past, but what does this course do -- you like playing here and this crowd? What does this course do to prepare you for what you're about to see?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's a fun golf tournament here. There's a lot of differences, though, between here and next week. Grasses on the greens, chipping areas. There aren't really many chip areas here. It's either water or sand and the -- so Augusta is totally different.
And what I get out of this week is four competitive rounds, working on my focus mentally, working on shot making, and just trying to get sharp.
Q. Phil, was each day better for you overall, your game and how you felt?
PHIL MICKELSON: That's hard to say. I don't know if I'd say it got better each day, but parts got better. And I'm excited about next week, but I'm also nervous for it, because I haven't had the start to the year that I would like.
I've got to give myself a little slack in that I really haven't been healthy and been able to go until probably this week. I mean, this has been the first week that I felt really good.
Q. When was the last time you felt nerves?
PHIL MICKELSON: Every year. Even when I'm playing really well and I've won, you're nervous because the expectations are a lot higher. It's my favorite week of the year. I love the golf course. I know the course and putt and chip confidently there.
It's not that I don't have doubts, I just would have liked to have been in contention a little bit more. I was hoping to do that this week but wasn't able to quite put it together. Hopefully, I'll play my best next week.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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