PGA NEWS
PHIL MICKELSON
STEWART MOORE: We'd like to welcome our 2008 Northern Trust Open Champion, Phil Mickelson, to the interview room. What a great one-on-one battle out there with a former Arizona State Sun Devil, like yourself, Jeff Quinney. Talk a little about the day.
PHIL MICKELSON: It was a fun, head-to-head battle. And the fact that we were five or six shots clear of third place allowed us to have that head-to-head battle and not have to worry about other guys making a move at us.
I thought in the middle of the round, he made some incredible putts that made for a very difficult day. I was fortunate to be able to respond with those -- to those with a birdie on 10 and 11, and that gave me a little bit of momentum.
Then ultimately a 3-putt here or there cost him the tournament, but I thought that he played terrific golf today. I think he's going to have a great year and great career.
The impressive thing about Jeff Quinney, because I've been watching him since he came out of Arizona State and since he won the Amateur is that he's gotten better every year. He started out maybe the Canadian Tour, got better every level he's played at and I think that he's ready to break through and be a real threat on the PGA TOUR.
STEWART MOORE: You win today, you pick up 4,500 FedExCup points and move into first on the season-long points list, your 33th win, as we go on further in your career and you go higher and higher up this list, how do you view that in terms of history and your career and everything awe accomplished?
PHIL MICKELSON: The names that are on this trophy are pretty cool and bring an element of history to this tournament. Riviera is a special place, a fun, challenging golf course that's withstood the test of time. I think it has some of the greatest holes on the PGA TOUR, and it's fun to play well here, because early in my career I did not. Until last year, was really the first year I played well here and to break through with a victory feels terrific.
Q. The names on the trophy doesn't include a certain Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods. Does that make it any sweeter?
PHIL MICKELSON: That's not what I'm looking for. But the fact that Hogan and Snead and Nelson are on here, I think that's really cool.
Q. The putts you made on the back nine, 10 and 14, what do you think was more significant?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think that, well, both of them were pretty critical. I needed to respond to the 15-foot par putt Jeff made, and I needed to make that 6-footer for birdie on 10. And then having the ability to putt first, you know, I hit that bunker shot and I wanted to make sure I left it underneath the hole because I wanted an uphill putt, but I left it obviously short of where I wanted.
Being able to go in first and get that in, I think that made his putt a little more difficult, I don't know. But they were both big turning points.
Q. You mentioned you had played here as a 17-year-old high school student. If you could contrast the feelings of just what that was like.
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, then I was trying to make the cut, and this week I was trying to win. I like it now better, yeah.
Q. In addition to that, though, the feelings you developed through the years about Riviera.
PHIL MICKELSON: When I first started playing here, whether it was as an amateur or early in my career, I didn't understand the nuances of this golf course, where you can and can't hit it. The way the kikuyu grass, a foot short of the green will grab the ball and stop it short; but if you land it a foot farther on the green, it will bound all the way to the back edge.
And learning those nuances and how to hit the shots into some of these greens has helped me over the years, and last year was when I started to put it together, and I'm fortunate to break through this year.
Q. After last year, you had a chance and you were disappointed. Is this a special satisfaction, and was there any doubts at all after you had lost the lead on the ninth hole?
PHIL MICKELSON: I knew that I needed to play a good back nine. The fact that he and I were separated and that other guys weren't really close to catching us, it was just a head-to-head nine-hole battle.
Q. Does it make it easier in a way?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's easier than if there were five or six guys within a shot or two, yeah, absolutely.
Q. You didn't show much emotion after you won this. Was it more of a relief?
PHIL MICKELSON: I wouldn't say a relief. I think that heading in, I really had a good feeling about this week. I felt like I had been playing well and I came so close last year that I didn't want to get ahead of myself. I felt I had the tournament won last year and I bogeyed 18. I didn't want to get ahead of myself. I wanted to try to play each shot smart coming down the stretch and not get too emotional.
Q. Can you talk about how you might have to flick a switch now and get into that match-play mode? You have to feel as confident as ever.
PHIL MICKELSON: I think one of the coolest tournaments we have is taking place next week is the Match Play, we only get one day like that really. I think Wednesday the first day is the most exciting because so many matches and upsets.
The fact that we went head-to-head is kind of a perfect transition for the upcoming event.
Q. You've had a lot of years where you've started with a victory on the West Coast, either Torrey or Bob Hope, and now here, can you talk about what this means to you in context of the larger season looking forward into the majors, etc.?
PHIL MICKELSON: I always like to get a win early in the season. I love the West Coast. I play a lot and it gives me momentum for the rest of the year. I came close at Phoenix. And so to finally get one feels good.
I think that it will be beneficial heading into the Match Play, but it's also nice heading into the Augusta stretch here that we'll start in the middle of March, kind of the run to Augusta that I've gotten this out of the way now and have some momentum.
Q. I don't want this to sound dumb, but it might be because I'm asking it, is this kind of what you were expecting after the first round of Torrey Pines, kicking the rust off there and moving in the right direction?
PHIL MICKELSON: I felt like I was a week or two behind just because I haven't been able to practice because I was sick. I thought I was putting it together in Phoenix. I actually thought I hit a ton of good shots at Pebble even though it led to a missed cut. I was playing much better than the score was indicating but I felt I was close.
I would have liked to have been at this point starting at San Diego but it just wasn't feasible. So I'm only behind a couple of weeks. It shouldn't be a big deal.
Q. How much pride do you take in the fact that other than Tiger, you seem to be the guy who is all up there, always contending, whether you win or not; winning every year, you just consistently do it year-in and year-out when a lot of other guys don't. How much pride to you take into that?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I appreciate you saying that. It means a lot that I'm able to continue to compete and win golf tournaments, because that's what makes playing this game so much fun is having a chance to win and winning. So to be able to do that for a number of years has been a lot of fun; anyway.
Q. What do you think separates you from a lot of other guys that are up there, top-ranked guys in the world, but you have kind of separated yourself from a lot of other people; why do you think that is?
PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know what to say there. That's kind of a loaded question, I think. There's no really great answer.
Q. You face another ASU guy next week in Perez, I know you guys aren't that close and haven't really had that much of a relationship, different in age; what do you think about facing Pat, a guy who grew up in San Diego and you obviously know about?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I've been aware of Pat Perez's career now, also, because he went through Arizona State and I try to keep track of the guys that have gone through the same school. He's had a very solid career in that he's played well. I don't think he's won but he's a very solid player. And I think that his dad has done a lot to help grow the game and bring the game to inner city youths. So I think the whole family has done a lot for the game of golf.
It will be a fun match. I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to getting back to Arizona. I've missed Tucson because we had it as a conflicting event for a number of years and that place was my first TOUR win ever, so I love going back there. I'm excited to get back there.
Q. What's the state of your game now compared with where it was now at some other points in your career and some of your better years?
PHIL MICKELSON: I can see the difference or I can see the improvement, but it's not quite to where I believe I can get it but I feel like it's been much better than in the past so I feel like I'm getting better. I can taste where I want to get to, but I'm not quite there yet.
Q. Can you just talk about your record on the West Coast, 16 wins out of your 33, not including Hawaii --
PHIL MICKELSON: What do you want me to say? Yeah --
Q. Just wondering --
PHIL MICKELSON: I think you're right. That's absolutely correct. (Laughter).
Q. I was looking for a little more (Doug).
Q. Is it growing up here and knowing the grass and greens; a lot of people hate poa, but obviously you can play it very well.
PHIL MICKELSON: (Laughing)
Q. I was trying to save words here.
PHIL MICKELSON: We've had a tough go this week, Doug. I think Art should just phrase your questions. That was well said. (Laughter).
Well, I forget, why do guys hit 3-woods on 10 instead of drivers? (Laughter).
Q. That wasn't my question.
PHIL MICKELSON: I know, it was Doug's.
Q. Because you're a physical specimen.
PHIL MICKELSON: I do enjoy the West Coast. And I love poa annua greens. I grew up on them. I'm excited to play golf and I practice very hard on the West Coast when the season is coming around and I haven't played for a while.
I work hard on my game. I've got a lot of energy and I'm excited to get back out. I think all of these things, plus the fact that I grew up here, and used to walk these fairways on the outside and now that I'm on the inside, I just have a great love for the West Coast and I've been fortunate to play well here.
Q. How many tournaments did you go to, how many different ones, not the same one twice?
PHIL MICKELSON: Just a couple times a year when the TOUR was in town, I would try to get out there for a day or two here or there.
STEWART MOORE: Do you mind, if could we briefly go through your card, birdies and bogeys today.
PHIL MICKELSON: Sure. I birdied No. 1. I hit 3-wood off the tee, 6-iron on the green, 35 feet and made it and 2-putted. It wasn't that great of a 2-putt. I left it eight feet short but made it.
Then No. 9, I made bogey. I hit driver just left on the bank of the bunker. Hit it to the right of the green, chipped up short and lipped out a chip-in. That would have made par.
Birdied 10. I know the golf ball is going longer but I hit driver today on 10 (laughter). It was a little into the wind and it was critical I felt to get past pin-high. I was a yard short of the green on the fringe in the playoff last year and I couldn't get to the pin. I felt like a good shot would be 15 feet. And so I wanted to make sure I got it past the pin and so I had a lob shot right backup into the slope and hit it to six feet and made that for birdie. It was really the only spot I thought you could get on that green by that hole there.
On 11, I hit a good drive and I was just in the left rough, a yard or two in the left rough, tapped in for birdie.
I bogeyed 15. I hit a driver, again, a yard or two through the fairway, 5-iron short of the green left, chipped up to six feet and missed it.
Q. I'm almost afraid to ask another question about 10, but I'll try.
PHIL MICKELSON: Why don't you have Art phrase it for you?
Go ahead. (Laughter).
Q. If they were to shave that grass behind the 10th green, what does that change your thinking on how to play that hole or is it still the best way to get at the flag behind the green?
PHIL MICKELSON: It would be easier if it would be shaved.
Q. It would roll out more.
PHIL MICKELSON: It would roll out, but I think it's not any harder being by 11 tee box. And if they were all fairway cut, you would be able to spin it. The tough part was coming out of the rough and having to be careful of kind of a fluffer that came out short in the bunker. So I don't think it would be any more difficult if it were shaved.
Q. Given all the names on the trophy, as you said earlier, I wanted to follow up earlier, where do you put this win versus the rest of your West Coast swing?
PHIL MICKELSON: It's certainly up there. The fact that I haven't won this and it's taken me so long to win it makes it that much more special. But growing up in San Diego and winning the Buick Invitational as my first TOUR win will always be the most special West Coast win for me.
Q. At 9, you had a tough lie over there. Can you just describe what that was like? It looked like the ball was above your feet.
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, and although I wanted to, or the tendency would be to keep it left of the hole, I felt like it was going to be a harder shot if I missed it way left trying to get it close to that pin where the green is going away.
I actually felt like I would be better off at the pin or right of it, not where I ended up but closer to the green, because I would be chipping into the slope and I felt I had a better chance to get that close from there. So I tried to go at the pin, and then I missed it well right.
Q. What was the club?
PHIL MICKELSON: I hit 7-iron. I had 170 yards on that uphill face.
Q. You said earlier you can taste where you want to get with your game. Do you feel you are a more complete player today than you were when you won THE PLAYERS last year?
PHIL MICKELSON: Without answering that directly, I think that the changes that Butch and I have been working on have settled in nicely, and I feel much more confident off the tee, drawing the golf ball and fading the golf ball. I thought that the two drives on 17 and 18 were evident of that. I would have normally hit 3-wood on 18 because I only needed a par to secure a victory. But because I drove it in the left rough twice last year, I hit driver, because I wanted to have the improvements come through and I was able to do that, able to hit a good drive there.
Q. Any examples this week that your work with Amy Alcott had or last year helped you save a shot or read a critical putt?
PHIL MICKELSON: She helped me read the greens. We talked about how I putted poorly at Pebble and worked on it here.
What I didn't realize is the golf ball I'm playing this year is very soft. It's softer than the one last year, and when I had putted with it on the insert that I had, it was a quieter sound and the ball was coming off and I couldn't hear it and I was giving it a little too much.
And consequently, my speed was going well by the hole so I went back to Odyssey and I put a firmer insert on my putter face. So by putting the firmer insert, I was able to hear it and my speed and touch and came back, but I didn't even think about that because the golf ball I've been using this rear is much softer.
I think that that had a lot to do with the win here because so many of my tee shots went into the first cut of rough and I never got a jumper. I thought that was big, because I was able to have better distance control with that softer cover.
Q. Why would you have changed balls? What would the softer cover do for you?
PHIL MICKELSON: It eliminates a lot of the jumpers. Do you remember the shot on 14 -- 13 yesterday, that I was down left and I spun it? Yeah, I couldn't do that last year.
Q. Looking for more spin?
PHIL MICKELSON: Absolutely, around the green, being able to spin it and control it, and also the iron shots in the first cut. I also get a little more distance out of it but that is not why I'm going to it. It's all with the short irons and the wedges, and I didn't factor in that the insert would be -- that I would need to change that a little bit to get the same sound and feel. I didn't want to go into the details of that earlier this week, but that was really the change I made heading into this week was I just changed the insert louder and now I can hear it and it feels great.
Q. Any other adjustments that you had to make with the ball?
PHIL MICKELSON: You know, I added a 3-iron this week, which I haven't had a 3-iron in ages. I've always had a hybrid. But I've been really liking the 3-iron. I used it a bunch off the tees here and into the par 5s. No real point but I just liked it.
Q. Will you put it in the bag next week as well?
PHIL MICKELSON: Depends on the rough. I need the hybrid out of the rough to get that shot moving and because there's not too much rough there, if it's the same as last year, I probably will, yeah.
Q. Did you hit the 3-iron at 4 today?
PHIL MICKELSON: I hit the 3-iron at 4. And that's an example of the kikuyu where you land a foot short and it grabs it. I was literally landing a foot short of the green and it backed up. If I land it on the green, it goes to the back edge.
Q. Can you talk a little bit more about your relationship with Amy? Had you consulted her at all in the past or was this just something for this week?
PHIL MICKELSON: Last year, and I had spent some time with her before, and she's a neat lady; she's knowledgeable about the game of golf, a Hall of Fame and LPGA player. And being able to pick her brain last year on the way some of the greens slope and putts break, and I called her up again and said, hey, can you leave Wednesday open, and so we spent the time there, as well. I think the Pro-Am players enjoy having her walk around a few holes, too, because she has so much insight into the game of golf.
STEWART MOORE: Phil, congratulations.
JEFF QUINNEY
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thanks, Jeff, for joining us for a few minutes at the media center in the Northern Trust Open. You put yourself in position, and I'm sure you learned a lot out there today and every time you get in that position, it's one more learning experience. You've got to be very proud of yourself.
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, it was quite a week. I've experienced a lot of up-and-downs. Hole-in-one this week and playing with Phil, the best player here, obviously, second best player in the world, and hanging with him all 36 holes on the weekend, I was pretty proud of myself.
Obviously not the end result, but second-place finish, kind of huge boost of confidence. Obviously I wanted to win but definitely think I'm going to get there soon and it's just a matter of when, not if, and I'm just going to keep moving forward.
Q. On the 14th tee, he had just taken the lead on 13 and then he put it in the bunker, and was that -- you had it past the pin there over the green; was that adrenaline or wind or what was it?
JEFF QUINNEY: I actually took one more club. You know, sometimes when I was hitting those so soft, I was hitting them so solid, they almost flattened through the wind and they were not landing very soft. I hit a 5-iron there and maybe should have hit a 6, kind of ballooned like it did on 17, John (Rollins) hit 5-iron right in front of me and we are pretty similar in length and his stopped and mine runs right through.
13 and 14, I thought I hit great irons in there and they both released. I was trying to lag it up on 13 and thought I hit a good putt and 14 was a pretty difficult lie in that kikuyu, you never know how it's going to come out of there. I had two right-to-left 8-footers that definitely, I'd like to have back, and missed them both low. Obviously just put a little too much pressure on the putter on the back nine.
Q. It said on the 13th hole, it was your first 3-putt in 215 holes. Can you talk about how well you've been putting lately, especially this week?
JEFF QUINNEY: That surprises me. It felt great going off that putter. It's tricky because you go uphill, downhill with the wind and the way it's sloping towards the ocean and I kind of miscalculated that maybe it was downhill the last ten feet.
Definitely the strength of my game when I'm putting well is when I score well, and obviously with everybody. But I can really get it going. And I made some great putts early in the round, or middle of the round that put some heat on the field. I just felt great about everything today.
Q. You came back strong after that bogey on 3 to lead by one going into the back nine; what were your thoughts at that point?
JEFF QUINNEY: Just stick to my game plan. I was still hitting fairways. I was still playing well. You know, I thought about hitting driver off of 10. But we just didn't have the help I needed to get it there. I think that's definitely where the advantage Phil has having the extra length. He had iron into 17 and I had to get 3-wood off the tee because I'm basically trying to take that bunker out of play because I know I can't get there in two.
That's just an advantage that he kind of has over me is that length on 11, also, and it just puts that much more pressure on my wedge game and short game to keep up with his power.
Q. What was your line on 10? What were you trying to do?
JEFF QUINNEY: I was going right at the pin. It was a little in the breeze and it just stuck a little bit into that kikuyu fairway. It was right at it. I liked it in the air. But I made a great 4. Obviously that's a birdie hole but I hit it to right where I wanted, had a great number. Just didn't execute the shot but I was happy to walk away with 4 and made a good 30-, 40-footer on 11 to keep it going.
Q. Last year you had a great West Coast Swing and this year you played well, is it small consolation to know you pretty much wrapped up your card for this year?
JEFF QUINNEY: It's huge. I kind of knew that I was out of winning the tournament the last couple holes. I just wanted to make sure I didn't do something silly, and second place is a big check this week, so I know it secures my job and it's just going to give me that much more confidence the rest of the year.
I've learned a lot of those courses on the West Coast. I think that's part of the reason I have success out here. I've been on these courses and I've played Torrey Pines in junior golf and played these other ones a lot and now that I have experience out there for the rest of the year, my hopes are very big.
Q. You've been good in pressure situations a lot of times during your career, but you're talking about 36 holes out there with Phil in the last group, and the pressures and everything. What was the feeling like, and was it any different than you might have anticipated?
JEFF QUINNEY: I actually felt better than I thought I would. You know, I had not necessarily a hard time sleeping because I was so tired last night, but I was up early and kind of anxious to get going. I just wanted to get back inside the ropes again. Once I get in there in the playing field, I feel great.
I was really impressed -- part of the reason I think is because I feel really comfortable on this course. Other courses where you don't, it might be different. It fits my eye so well and I drove it so good this week. That's part of the key to my game is I have this new Nickent driver and I've just been smoking it, I was hitting it up with Phil and past Rollins at times, and normally I wouldn't say that's my strength and I have this new driver I've been hitting really well.
Q. Golf is so different because you have no control over your opponent. I just wonder, you played -- yesterday you say you’ve played with Tiger. Was there any danger of getting caught up with reputation with Phil or the fact that you knew him a little bit helped?
JEFF QUINNEY: I think there's always a danger, but I don't think I really gave him that power. I could see where he was human at times because I don't think he was quite on his A Game because he had missed a few shots here and there. You could see on 17 and 18 where he really took a rip at it, and I think that's his confidence swing and maybe when he knew he had it in the bag. But sometimes he was kind of shaping shots. That's the difference. He doesn't have to be at his best to win, and I think the rest of us do.
Q. Tiger, the same thing?
JEFF QUINNEY: Same thing with Tiger.
Q. You had to settle for a 2 on No. 6 today. What did Phil say to you? What did you guys say to each other when your shot finished?
JEFF QUINNEY: We were just kind of laughing. I said, "It's always hard to step up there and not have it enter your mind."
Same thing at the Hope this year. I almost made it the first time I played it. So it's right in the funnel there and I hit a 6-iron, one more club than yesterday. It would be interesting to see how close it went because I think it rolled short and past the hole, to walk away that close, it was a big kick start to the round and got the momentum back on my side.
Q. Was it hard at all for you when Phil was up three already through five holes and playing well to be patient?
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, I mean, he snap-hooks it off No. 2 and bounces back in the fairway. Then he hits in the bunker and then he hits it to a foot. It's like he couldn't do any wrong to give me one, easy one. That told me I needed to go out and earn it; he wasn't going to give me anything easy. If he's going to miss the green, it's like a match-play situation. I was expecting him to make every putt or up-and-down. I wasn't expecting him to give me anything easy.
Q. Did you talk at all during the round, converse, or did you talk basketball or golf at all?
JEFF QUINNEY: We talked a little bit about golf and a lot about sports and basketball and football. Talked about our Suns and how we're probably both going to go to that Suns game against the Lakers, not together.
You know, it's great, because he's easy to play with. He keeps you at ease and he was complimenting me on how I've had a good year and just keep going. I think a lot of guys wouldn't do that.
Q. Did he say anything like: "I hope I lose in the first round so I can go to the game"? (Laughter)
JEFF QUINNEY: That's right. I didn't even think about that. It's a Wednesday night game, so he said he might drive up for it. I think that's why he was saying, probably drive up from Tucson.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Can you go through your round?
JEFF QUINNEY: Disappointing par on 1. Just tells you how firm the greens were. I hit a hybrid in there pin-high just shot over the green, awkward lie, walked away with 5.
3, bogey, missed a short one there and about a 3-footer.
6, just started to get the momentum back. I hit a 6-iron to three feet and tough little downhill slider I made.
8, made birdie there, back right hole location and hit 9-iron to 20 feet. That one felt really good.
Then on 9, kind of a switch of events. I birdied there and he made bogey and that kind of flip-flopped kind of the momentum back on my side.
11, kind of disappointed, actually I was happy with four but disappointed up until then. I had to make a 25-footer for birdie.
Then the wheels kind of came off. 13, 3-putt. 14, hit over the green. Happy with the approach shot but just released to the back.
15 was about the only bad hole I played all day I thought. Hooked it and then hooked it again and had a bad lie. It's just a tough hole. I had a hybrid into that the last two days and it's a very long hole.
16, just kind of a poor wedge shot and a horrible 3-putt.
18, hit a great 7-iron in there and just nice to walk away with the 3.
Q. Terribly-phrased question here, but when did you give up? When did you know it was over?
JEFF QUINNEY: I guess on 17 after I 3-putted. I guess I if I would have made that, would have been down two going to the last, birdie/bogey situation, you never know.
Q. Had your tee shot gone in on 6, what celebration had you and your caddie planned for us? (Laughter)?
JEFF QUINNEY: We had kind of talked about it with my caddie. Definitely have to wait and see that.
Definitely going to get a little end zone back or some type of jump and turn to the side or soldier boy. But it was still fun to make one of the two there, it's a tough hole.
Q. A 1 and a 2, it's like throwing out one day's round in a way.
JEFF QUINNEY: Just the way I played that hole and the way Phil played that hole, he makes 2 on top of me and hits an impossible spot today. I don't think there's anybody that would have got that up-and-down where he did and hit it to a tap-in. He hit in unbelievable spots and I can kind of learn and practice on my short game that much more to get that much better.
Q. When you got to ASU, how much did you hear about Mickelson, how much did you look up to what he had done and respect his record and so on through those years until you finally got to meet him?
JEFF QUINNEY: Well, definitely looked up to him. I remember being at the apartment and one of my roommates came back and said, "Hey, Phil was at the range today," and I was so mad I wasn't there to kind of be around and hang out. At the time you looked up to superstars like that. It's changed your life now that you're shoulder-to-shoulder and playing with them and trying to compete with them.
They have a great program at ASU. I think our whole starting five is out here this year, while I was out there with, Paul Casey and Matt Jones and Jin Park and Chez Reavie. We always played together. It's a great asset to have a lot of friends out here watching and rooting you on.
Q. You talked about how well you've played out here on the West Coast Swing. I know this isn't Torrey Pines but playing well here, does that give you more confidence here looking ahead to the U.S. Open?
JEFF QUINNEY: If I get in the field. I mean, I've got, basically, probably a win today would have got me in but my World Ranking is not high enough. I have to do the 36-hole qualifier. That's my No. 1 goal, to get into that tournament. I love that course and I think I would do well if I did.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
PADRAIG HARRINGTON
Q. Padraig, 3-under 68, good playing. We talked to you yesterday and you were optimistic things were coming around early in the season.
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, yesterday I was optimistic. Today obviously, well, it's a good return and that probably wasn't as comfortable as the score was. Certainly at times, you know, concentration wasn't 100% but that's what you get early on in the year. Decided to be as competitive when, you know, I'm certainly not in tiptop shape.
Q. Being defending British Open Champion, Carnoustie, or Carnasty as some of us call it; Riviera showed some teeth this week without any rough at all.
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I don't think I had a lie during the whole week that I couldn't get to the green from.
So, yeah, it's set up as easy as it could, but it's a great golf course. It's a long course and we are hitting some long irons into some holes and there's plenty of run out there, too. Obviously with the greens as firm as they are -- and they were not exactly fast, so it could actually play harder.
Q. Got to be happy about what you're doing, next week, the Match Play, so you have to be excited going into next week's Match Play?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, I'm happy how things are going along. You know, it's always tough going into a match, if I come up against somebody who is in real good form, you know, I don't know if I have the ability to raise my game at this time of the year. But certainly the first two weeks are encouraging.
Q. Can you talk about how this day started, five or six shots back?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I got up at 6 o'clock, went to the gym -- no, I was five or six back, and I tried to get myself to be aggressive. I was more -- how many shots was I back, six, seven? I tried to be aggressive and go out there and by any chance, maybe shoot a 6- or 7-under par and see what happens, because I knew the course is tough enough that anybody defending it there, wouldn't have to do much wrong to shoot level par or 1- or 2-over par, and that didn't happen. You know, it was a question of knuckling down and getting best out of the round I could.
Q. Do you take satisfaction out of the way you played the back nine particularly good?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I'm happy with the performance. I took more satisfaction yesterday. I've got to say, today, a little bit up-and-down, but you know, as I said, it's early season. This is what I'm here for. It's good to be in these positions that at least I'm being tested and shown up sort of thing. If I was down in 30th or 40th place where it would be -- it wouldn't show up as evidently as when you're trying not to make mistakes as well as trying to go forward.
Q. How are you feeling?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I'm feeling the best I have all week but I still do need to watch it. I have a tendency to overdo things and I've got to make sure I just take it easy for the next couple of days. My game is good enough; just don't overdo it between now and Wednesday.
Q. When did you start thinking or preparing for the Masters? When does it come up in your mind?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Already. All tournaments lead to the Masters at this time of the year. You know, out here that's what you're thinking about. You're thinking about getting your game in shape so when the Masters come around, you're ready.
It's an interesting balance, because you don't want to come out too early, but you want to have enough tournaments under your belt so you feel competitive so, that's interesting.
Q. Do you like the Match Play venue next week?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: It's a good course. Yeah, it's not a bad venue. It's not -- this is a much better golf course, much better venue, but you know, next week is a good, solid golf course. It's probably not as interesting a town as L.A., but you know, this is one of the top venues of the year.
Q. Would you say you're going in there next week with more confidence than you would have had other years?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, I would think that would be fair enough to say that. I think having played a couple of weeks, yeah, two weeks is good. As I said, I could be a little bit better. I need a little bit more form, but at the moment, not bad.
Q. Was this a tournament you felt like you were contending, or was it more of a different situation with those guys so far ahead?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: World Ranking points. That's what it is when you don't win. That's what you're thinking about.
Q. Is that normal --
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I don't know, not day-in, day-out. I think it might make a difference in major situations, but not normally, no. I'm not that sort of person. I just do my own thing and not really thinking about that.
Q. What happened on 17?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, I hit a nice shot in to ten, 12 feet and had a reasonable chance. Hit a good putt, thought it would be a little quicker.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
LUKE DONALD
Q. 68, 7-under par, good tournament?
LUKE DONALD: Yeah, it's my first event on the PGA TOUR and to come out, and to play solidly all week, it's very encouraging. It's just showing the work I've been doing over the off-season is starting to pay off.
Q. The golf tournament today, a two-man race today with Mickelson and Quinney, you were out there making a move; were you watching the scoreboard?
LUKE DONALD: I was watching it slightly, but you know, I wasn't too concerned. Again I was just trying to stick to my own game plan, and really just try and make as many birdies as I could.
I made a couple -- I made a bad bogey on 5 from the middle of the fairway and kind of stopped the momentum early on. But no, put my head down and just tried to keep making some good birdies. It's nice to finish off with a couple.
Q. How do you approach that when you're seven shots back, do you look at it as a race for third at that point?
LUKE DONALD: You know, you just never know. Some people have come back from more deficits than that, bigger deficits. Obviously with Phil up there, you don't feel like he's going to throw away a lead. You just never know so you keep playing as hard as you can.
Sometimes it works out well. At the Target two years ago, I was eight shots back playing the final round and shot 64 and went on to win. You try and shoot those kind of numbers Sunday and see what happens.
Q. Is there a point where you kind of look at the leaderboard and realize they are not backing up any and you have a chance?
LUKE DONALD: You don't really change your strategy. I think especially this golf course, it's hard to attack too much on this course. You know, I think your strategy is pretty similar. You're just trying to give yourself birdie looks, and hopefully make a few. That's all you can do.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
PHIL MICKELSON
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Phil, for joining us for a few minutes here in the media center at the Northern Trust Open. A 70 today, probably not what you expected but if you go back to earlier in the year when you played so well on Sunday at FBR, that helps you out and just being in this position, forever.
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it was I thought a more difficult day than in the past, because the pin placements were a little tougher and the greens were a little firmer, harder to get it close. I felt like anything in the 60s was going to be a good round. I was close to doing that; I was a shot shy. I played very well and certainly Jeff Quinney played very well. I think that we should have a fun day tomorrow.
Q. He was telling us, we asked him about the ASU connection, and he said you guys had never played as pros, but you've played a little bit, amateurs, but he also said you started talking about Shaq and the Suns; was that the conversation out there?
PHIL MICKELSON: We both are looking forward to his debut Wednesday -- hopefully Wednesday. We've had some good conversation. We have a lot in common. We went to school, not together, but the same school and know a lot of the same places and same people.
I've been very impressed with his career, because I've watched it as he's grown, and every year he's gotten better. Every year, he's improved and I think that he's going to be a successful player on the PGA TOUR. I'm looking forward to the challenge of playing with him tomorrow in the final round and trying to win a golf tournament.
I feel like I'm starting to play better as the weeks have gone on this year. I feel like my game is starting to come around. I've been hitting some good shots and making some good putts and I think that I should be ready for the challenge.
Q. Disappointing not to birdie No. 1, which most people think is a birdie hole? Starting off, you had a pretty good round, but you didn't get that one.
PHIL MICKELSON: Certainly you want to start off with a four there. I didn't hit a very good tee shot, and put myself behind the 8-ball.
I don't think it's imperative for a good round. You know, I've played Torrey Pines, and some of my best rounds have started with a five, which is a bogey on the first hole there. It's not imperative.
But certainly with the upcoming holes, 2 and 4, being so difficult, you want to get off to a good start.
Q. With the way the leaderboard is laid out, it's sort of like a match-play situation tomorrow and leading into next week; do you think about that at all?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it could be if we play well. If we don't play well, we let everybody back in. But if we go out and shoot under par, it will be tough for guys to catch us and we'll have a good match.
Q. Taking that into the next week, is that any kind of a help from a mind-set that you just played match play in the last round at Riviera?
PHIL MICKELSON: Possibly but that's not really -- that's not really where I'm going with it.
My thing for me tomorrow is that I could feel my game starting to come around. I need to hit some good drives. I need to hit solid iron shots into the greens and continue putting well, and I think it will be a good day.
Q. Can you talk about No. 4, was Allenby away, and did you decide to putt out, or were you away?
PHIL MICKELSON: We were kind of tied. It was the same. It was just who was going to be affected, and his mark didn't affect the way I set up to the putt.
I had an unfortunate lip-out there, as sometimes that happens. I had a putt on 18 do the exact same thing. It got right up to the lip and it shot off the edge, and fortunately it lipped in. But I was walking after it, and because it looked like it was in the center, and it barely caught the right lip. On 18, it went in, and on No. 4, it didn't. It happens.
Here, even though the greens have putted the best I've ever seen them, Robert Allenby had a putt on No. 11 that shot off right as it got to the hole, and we've just had a couple of those. And so until it goes in, you're just not sure.
Q. It seems like it's been a week where a lot of pars have been as meaningful as birdies; yesterday on 16 and today on 15 and 18. Any thoughts on that?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think that's true. I think pars keep the round going.
The golf course here at Riviera is not an easy course to make a lot of birdies on, and even though yesterday I made a bunch, it was one of those things where the ball just found the hole.
But you're really just trying to make three, four, five birdies out here and then not make any mistakes and then you've got a good round.
Q. As a follow to a previous question, how are the dynamics different this year compared to last where you still had a one-shot lead, but there was probably five or six guys with a lot of experience within three shots going into the last day. This time there's some separation.
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I like it better this time, yeah. It's nicer.
Q. It's one shot, but are you comfortable as a front-runner? Is that something you like?
PHIL MICKELSON: I like being in the lead. My thought process was that if I can make this 6-footer on 18, tie goes to me. That's kind of the way it looks like. So tomorrow we'll go head-to-head and if I can just tie him, tie goes to me. So that's the nice thing about having a shot in hand or whatnot.
But I would have liked to have increased my lead. Unfortunately I didn't do that.
Q. And there's no defense for a hole-in-one, but did it take you any time to shrug that off?
PHIL MICKELSON: I thought I came in there with a good 8-iron to six feet and made it for birdie. I thought that was as good of a response as I could have expected. (Laughter) Yeah, I thought that was a big 2 for me.
Q. Was there a part of your game at all that is better now, as opposed to last year?
PHIL MICKELSON: There's some areas I'm working on that I'm trying to get my parameters a little bit tighter. I'm trying to get my curve in the shot a little tighter. But it's not quite where I want it yet but it's very close. It's very close to being where I want it. I think that -- I just talked to Butch on my way down here, and I think that we're going to be -- have it ready for tomorrow.
Q. What was the lie like on 5 to the right of the green? We were kind of blocked out. You saved par there.
PHIL MICKELSON: It was okay. It was sitting in the rough. But I had a big area to land it if I hit a good flop shot. If I could hit it high and soft, I had 20 feet I can land it where it would probably stop around the hole. That's why I hit it so high.
Q. Are you totally over your respiratory issues now?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yes.
Q. Hundred percent?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yes.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Can we go through your birdies and bogeys?
PHIL MICKELSON: Bogey on 4. I hit a good 3-iron to 20 feet and hit the putt 3 1/2 feet by and missed it coming back.
Birdied 6 with an 8-iron to six feet.
Birdied 10 with a 3-wood right in front of the green and putted up to a couple feet.
Birdied 11 with a 3-wood off the tee, 3-iron to the front edge and a 2-putt.
Bogeyed 16. I had a terrible 8-iron to the right. Good chip shot to 12 feet and missed it.
Q. You had a lot of 25-, 30-foot birdie putts today. Was that a function of where the pins were and not wanting to be overaggressive to them, or were you not hitting your irons as well as you would have liked?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think 80 percent of it was more the pin placement where I was aiming. You know, No. 7, the pin was so far left that I hit a good shot right where I wanted to and I got a 20-footer.
If I hit a good shot on 16, I've got a 20-footer. They were firm and those tucked pins were hard to get to. But if you do have those 20-footers, they are uphill putts. You can be aggressive and you can make a lot of them.
Q. Since you've been good for a long time, I mean, really since you turned pro, was there ever a point early in your career on TOUR where you learned not to take any opponent for granted?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, you learn that in junior golf, yeah. That's just a given. It doesn't matter who it is. If the guy is good enough to be in the last group, he's obviously playing well enough to win.
Q. Have you ever been caught doing the other, even in junior golf, underestimating somebody?
PHIL MICKELSON: No. But I've not played well and lost, yeah. But not because I expected them to give it to me. I know that I won't be handed anything tomorrow. I know how well Jeff's playing and how well John Rollins played, and I know that there are guys that are right there that can shoot a low round tomorrow. And it's my job to go out and hit solid shots, hit a lot of fairways, attack some pins and be careful with some that are dangerous and see if I can shoot in the mid-60s.
Q. Do you have a target for tomorrow --
PHIL MICKELSON: Depending on conditions, it's hard to say. I feel I can, yeah.
Q. You're thinking aggressive tomorrow?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think I can shoot in the mid to high 60s and play well.
Q. Could you talk about how different -- if there is that big of a difference between your ball-striking last week and your ball-striking this week?
PHIL MICKELSON: Fairly comparable. I thought I hit maybe a few better shots last week, but the difference is, I'm putting much better.
Q. And just to follow up, you said you talked to Butch on the way ...
PHIL MICKELSON: To see you, Alex, yeah, just a couple minutes ago. (Laughter).
Q. Is he on site or on the phone?
PHIL MICKELSON: Phone, yeah.
Q. What can you do on the phone?
PHIL MICKELSON: Talk. (Laughter).
Q. I figure you're not doing sign language. What can you he get from you and what can you get back? Does he just watch the broadcast and you guys talk about it?
PHIL MICKELSON: You know, we just, yeah, we're able to work some things out, that's all. I don't know really where to go with that, but we're able to kind of communicate over the phone.
Q. Curious on 10, if conditions notwithstanding, it seems like 3-wood is the choice for most of the power hitters. When did that become the case? Has it ever been driver, and have you noticed over the years driver no longer being a choice?
PHIL MICKELSON: What's happened, Doug, is the golf ball is going farther. So when we used to hit drivers, we now are hitting 3-woods. (Laughter).
Any other good questions? (Laughter) Sorry, I'm just kidding.
I don't know where to go with that one, either. Because the tee hasn't moved up. The tee is in the same spot.
Q. When Tiger is not in a tournament, Phil, do you feel like the favorite son? Do you feel like the guy that everyone is rooting for?
PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know, but I've enjoyed playing in L.A. and there's a lot of friends that I haven't seen in a while and have come on out and some family members have come up with me.
So it's been a fun tournament, and I think some of the people here know how much this tournament means to me and how important it would be to get that this tournament win, which I haven't had, and have wanted for so long.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Phil.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
JEFF QUINNEY
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thanks for joining us here in the media center at the Northern Trust Open. Jeff, an interesting day out there, hole-in-one on No. 6, and then a long putt there on 18 for birdie to get to 10-under for the tournament, one stroke back of Phil. Just talk about the day and what you did well.
JEFF QUINNEY: I felt really comfortable. I actually drove it really well. That's kind of been the part of my game I've been struggling with a little bit and hit my driver very confidently today.
I've obviously birdied that first hole. It was important just to grab one when you could because that's such an easy hole.
You know, I was in control all day. I was a little nervous getting off, getting started, but the birdie on 5, and then the hole-in-one on 6 actually settled me down quite a bit. Almost put me down a level and put me in the zone and I was really at ease the rest of the day.
Q. Could you even see the ball go in, or did you have to listen?
JEFF QUINNEY: It was kind of foggy. I hit the shot and I was kind of walking away and I think Phil was walking in behind me. I knew it was trickling back to the hole, but I don't think I actually saw it fall in the cup. It was more the crowd reaction by the green.
Q. Were you shocked? It looked like the noise shook you for a second.
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, I'm overdue on the hole-in-one celebrations. Yeah, basically had one last year at the Bob Hope and this year with the caddie -- I've got a different caddie this time but you don't know whether to hug or high-five or just in between and probably just looks sloppy. Adrenaline goes through your system. It's an amazing feeling. It was almost like a touchdown end zone dance or something but basically, we need to get that organized with my caddie and plan it a little bit better.
Q. Obviously people look at the hole-in-one, but you picked up two shots right there and went ahead. Is that what you were thinking, boy, now you're in the lead or just picked up two more shots.
JEFF QUINNEY: Well, Phil made, two, so I only picked up one. Obviously when those things happen, you take it for granted and -- or not take it for granted. It's amazing that it happens.
That stretch of holes, if you can get by that corner and the wind is going to switch, I knew I could take advantage and 11 where I hit a bad second shot and to short-side it and skulled a wedge, I was very disappointed to make six there. Other than that, played pretty solid.
Q. How about that putt on 18; and the celebration in itself, the crowd went crazy.
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, it was a tough putt. I had 9-iron into the green and was disappointed I left it where I did. I wanted to leave it below the hole, and it was amazing how far it carried downwind. You know, we had a good read. Basically had a good chart in my book where I knew what it was going to go. It's actually right side of the hole; when you think everything falls to the front, everything goes right-to-left. I was just trying to snuggle it down there so I wouldn't have to worry about the second putt, and luckily went, perfect speed, right in the center.
Q. How great is it that you take something home with to sleep on tonight?
JEFF QUINNEY: Definitely always nice to sleep on a birdie, especially after giving away on 16, hitting a great putt on 17 and lipping one out and getting one back and one shot closer to Phil is great.
Q. You come obviously with a very athletic family, and your dad played football, I believe it was.
JEFF QUINNEY: Basketball.
Q. Basketball, I'm sorry. And a big game, 30-something points, I remember reading that. How did you end up in golf? Did everybody go in a different direction with the kids?
JEFF QUINNEY: I grew up, I'm the youngest of four boys. All of them played Division I sports of one kind. Maybe a little bit of experience. My dad is 6'5, but three of us were about 6'1 so we knew we wouldn't make it in hoops. Couldn't jump, couldn't run; we could shoot, but we're well-rounded in all sports.
Basically by sophomore, junior in high school, I knew I wanted to play college golf and could probably get a scholarship. But I played basketball all through high school. Growing up in Oregon, we only could play six months of the year with the weather.
I was kind of a raw product going into college, pretty good junior player, nothing fantastic. But going to Arizona State and practicing every day in the good weather, it really honed my skills quickly.
Q. And that's where you won the U.S. Amateur and really developed into a great amateur player.
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, my whole career is just building like a house or building bricks. Basically I've gotten better every year, even on the professional level from the Canadian Tour my first year out to Nationwide last year, I feel like I'm the best player I've ever been and a more confident and complete player right now.
Q. The birdie on 1 kind of settled you down a bit; were the nerves any more today because you were playing with Phil for the first time?
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, it was the first time I played with Phil. I've played with Tiger before and Vijay and some of the top players. But you know everyone is going to be watching our group. Everyone's rooting for Phil. And he's a great player and it's hard not to watch him at times and concentrate on what you're doing because he hits some amazing shots.
You know, I settled in quickly. I think once you get in the course and inside the ropes, you're more calm than you are maybe sleeping on it or waking up. Hopefully tomorrow I can do the same.
Q. Is that a Coyotes logo on your shirt?
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, I just started this year, Phoenix Coyotes hockey. And basically my management group is the brother of Wayne Gretzky's manager, and just developed a relationship and it just started. So we're excited about that.
Q. Were you a hockey fan before this?
JEFF QUINNEY: I am. I'm still learning a lot about the sport. I definitely go to the hockey games when I'm back in town. I'm actually going to drop the puck I think next week, and they are going to make me my own jersey, which is kind of fun to do.
Q. Any body checking planned for tomorrow?
JEFF QUINNEY: Well, maybe me and my caddie. (Laughter).
Q. I know you had a tough finish at Phoenix last year; right?
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah.
Q. How much do you think that helps you going into a situation like tomorrow?
JEFF QUINNEY: I think it helps, definitely just being in contention and sleeping on the lead or somewhat close to the lead. I wouldn't say I had a tough finish. Obviously bogeyed last couple holes but I had a great tournament and just was -- gained so much confidence from that and proved to myself that I can be in the lead or near the lead and not necessarily finish it off and definitely contend through to the end.
Q. You mentioned at the Hope last year when you were a contender, when you won the U.S. Amateur a lot was expected of you but it took you time; why were you able to do so well, I believe 2000, 2001, and why did it take so long?
JEFF QUINNEY: I don't think my swing was as consistent. I've definitely made some swing changes. I was very timing-oriented and a hands player, and now I'm kind of working with Mike LaBauve, my teacher, in trying to make it simple and just a swing that will hold up week-to-week in the pressure.
Match play is a whole different game than stroke play. If I have to beat the guy across from me, it's different than a four-day stroke event. It's just honing my skills. I don't think I was quite at the level of some guys my age at that time. It's just taken me a gradual time to improve.
Q. Do you ever get down on yourself because you were a U.S. Amateur Champion and then expected a lot of yourself?
JEFF QUINNEY: I wouldn't say down. I think, you know, maybe I expected to be a little bit more successful than I was, and it took me a little bit longer maybe.
But the thing about it is I got better every year. I never got to the point where I was bottomed out or thought about giving up the game, and I was always getting better and improving and moving forward.
Q. Two things. The first one is the shot on 6, when you saw where it landed, did you like where it landed, because obviously it funnels back there. But in your mind when it first landed, was it a good shot?
JEFF QUINNEY: Not really. It was a right-to-left wind, and I'm trying to start it right of the flag just barely. Basically pulled it and I'm thinking it had a chance to go in that little pot bunker. It landed dead-level with it, and, you know, if you hit it there, it's automatic bogey. So I definitely got away with one.
I didn't really see that. I don't think I played that pin last year, so I didn't really know to use that slope as much. It definitely wasn't the purest shot feeling it off the face, but it's a 1 on the card.
Q. The other question, you had such a fantastic run on the West Coast Swing last year. You were in contention it seems like every week. Do you feel like you're a little bit due now, as well as you've played out here?
JEFF QUINNEY: I don't know if I'm due. You know, I just definitely want to have a chance coming in tomorrow. Obviously playing against -- I don't know what Phil is ranked, top-five player in the world. He's going to bring a lot to the player and I've got to bring my best to the table tomorrow. He's definitely not going to hand it to me. I've got to go out and earn it.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Can we go over your birdies and bogeys real quick? You birdied No. 1.
JEFF QUINNEY: Birdie on 1.
I used a 5-iron on 2. That's a tough driving hole. Hit it in the right rough, and had to slice it around the tree and hit a great shot. To walk away with 4, was definitely satisfied there.
Birdie on 5. I hit 3-wood, 8-iron and made a good left-to-right breaker about 15, 20 feet.
Then on 6, obviously the hole-in-one with a 7-iron.
10, I've laid up all week. I thought about hitting driver today but I hit a great lob-wedge to pretty much tap-in range.
Bogey on 11. Hit a great drive. I definitely could reach the green. I kind of had a thin lie. Hit it short right of that bunker and tried to hit a mega-flop and bladed it and made six, which was losing a shot and a half there.
Bogey on 16. Kind of in-between clubs, 6 and 7. Into the wind at that time and was trying to hit a conservative shot and hit the 6-iron. Probably should have hit 7. Just quit on it and hit it to a place where I could not get up-and-down from there.
Then 18, hit driver, 9-iron, probably 35 feet and a downhill one.
Q. We were watching on TV; was it a decent lie on 11? Surprising it all of a sudden shot out.
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, I was worried about -- it was a decent lie. I was worried more about flubbing it I guess than short-siding myself in the bunker. One of those things, you look up a split second too early, just like everybody out there, and very shocking to me because I felt confident over the shot. I feel my short game is my strength. I thought a hit a good chip on the next one. It was six inches from going down the hill. Making six was disappointing.
Q. Curious your impressions about Phil's round, this typical Mickelson round of, some of it wasn't really very pretty but really got up-and-down in a few spots. What did you think?
JEFF QUINNEY: Yeah, he made some great saves on 13 and 15. He was short-sided and he has that 64-degree wedge and he's just hitting some amazing shots out of lies where he's about the only one that can do that.
He's definitely in control. He's putting well. I think he's firing on all cylinders, so I have to go out and do my best.
Q. What's your relationship with Phil, both being ASU guys, I know you said this is the first time you've played with him in a tournament, but what's your relationship with him?
JEFF QUINNEY: Obviously he's in Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego now, and I'm in the Scottsdale area and we don't cross paths much anymore. Out of college we played some practice rounds in the majors at the U.S. Open. You know, go out and say hi.
We definitely talked a lot of sports today. We were talking about the Phoenix Suns and how Shaq's coming in. We both might be at that Laker game on Wednesday, and we are talking about other things other than golf.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
JOHN ROLLINS
Q. Talk about how you're like 30 pounds lighter now.
JOHN ROLLINS: Yeah, about 30, 35 lighter. Decided that for my career and longevity of my career, I needed to shed some pounds and was able to do it this off-season. Feel good, so hopefully it will kind of filter into my game a little bit.
Q. What's been working for you this week?
JOHN ROLLINS: I've putted pretty good this week. Missed a few today coming down the stretch but, overall, I feel like I've rolled the ball well on the greens and I've just been patient. I kept grinding it out. I haven't really hit it the greatest. My irons have been fairly weak up until today. I think I hit it a little bit better.
But I just keep being patient and hitting good chip shots and grinding over the putts and so far the putter has been fairly kind.
Q. Depending what happens, you'll be four, five, maybe six back going into tomorrow. You have to be aggressive tomorrow, basically, Is that your mentality?
JOHN ROLLINS: Yeah, I got off to a good start today and that will help tomorrow. I was 4-under through seven and really missed a good look there on seven to be 5-under through seven, but that's what it's going to take tomorrow.
I'm going to have to come out -- we don't know what the conditions will be, but I'm sure the golf course is going to be playing difficult. We've just got to stay patient. You know, I'm not trying to shoot a certain number. I know I've got to go out and play good and just give myself as many opportunities as I can.
Q. Haven't you played well on the West Coast the last few years?
JOHN ROLLINS: The last few years I've played pretty good. This year it's been a little slower start but it's not from a lack of effort or being prepared or anything else. Just, it's golf. I felt good coming out for the start of the season at the Hope and just the scoring hasn't been there and things just haven't really clicked.
Then this week, I just kept doing what I was doing, and right now we're having a good week.
Q. Why did you make the decision to shed some pounds?
JOHN ROLLINS: You know, I had to do it to feel better. I just wasn't feeling that great, you know, about myself and everything else, and I just thought it was a change that needed to be made. I just owned up to it and decided to commit to it, and I feel a whole lot better.
Q. Where does this course rank on your favorites that you play out here?
JOHN ROLLINS: Top five, for sure. It's one of the best we play. It’s just that old, classic golf course that gets your attention on every shot.
The fairways have just enough pitch on them that hitting shots into the green are difficult or hard to get it close to the hole. And if you do misfire and hit it in one of these bunkers, they are not the easiest bunkers to get it up and down. It's just a great, old, classic course that I really enjoy playing.
Q. Can you put pressure on the leaders maybe from a group or two groups ahead? They are going to be watching you, basically.
JOHN ROLLINS: Yeah, if you come out and get hot and make three or four birdies right off the bat, you never know. They make a bogey or two, that's a five- or six-shot swing, so it can happen. It's golf and it's a strange game, but I can only control myself. So I'm just going to play and be patient and see what I can shoot.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
STUART APPLEBY
Q. How was that 69 today?
STUART APPLEBY: I played pretty bad all day. I hit the ball bad. Didn't really do anything except chip and putt. Putting was the only reason. I could have easily been over par. I could have shot four or five over today if I hadn't saved.
I think I hit eight greens for the day. Well, I hit driver onto 10, so sort of nine greens getting in there, but chipped and putted well. Made some birdies. Didn't make many birdies today so it was really close. I easily could have shot 3-over instead of under, easy.
Q. Seems like a lot of real low ones out there --
STUART APPLEBY: I played worse than what the course played difficult, I think. I haven't played, hit it like I did the previous two tournaments. I'm getting it done but I've got to play better. Making putts for pars are like dogs that chase cars – don't last long. If I can shoot under par tomorrow; hopefully it won't be as stressful as the way I did it today.
Q. You're alone at third in the moment?
STUART APPLEBY: Daylight's up front, first and second. If I can shoot a nice, good round tomorrow, I think, you know, if you shot 4- or 5-under tomorrow, that would be a good score.
Now, what's that mean for the tournament? Does that threaten the top? Probably not. Yeah, I think if you looked at the odds in Vegas, the odds of a couple players winning it, that's about it from here. It's not really an open tournament.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
SCOTT VERPLANK
Q. How is it playing out there?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Really tough. The greens are really fast. Being dried out, the golf course is pretty tough.
They are a little bumpy and like I said, they are so fast, faster than normal here because it's so dry. Fast and bumpy is a tough combo sometimes. You know, pretty challenging.
Q. Is this your third event of the year?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yes.
Q. Working on some things a little bit from the off-season?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yes, you know, I'm OK. I've still got a ways to go. I'm not playing quite -- I'm scoring OK, but I've got a lot of room for improvement, but it is early in the year, and you know, try to keep going the right direction.
Q. You're about six behind Phil right now, any realistic shot? It's golf, anything can happen; how do you approach the final round, six back?
SCOTT VERPLANK: You know, I'm going to have to just hit it -- if I hit it a little bit more solid with my irons tomorrow and knock in all of the short putts that I missed today; you know, if he slips up, I might have a chance.
But other than Tiger, he's probably the next best front-runner. He's awful good. So I'm going to have to play exceptionally well and probably then would need a little bit of help.
Q. On 18, you got up-and-down, what did you hit? Was that a wind issue?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, I hit a 6-iron, but honestly, I thought I hit it perfect and I think the wind almost knocked it down a little bit. Sometimes it carries it pretty good and sometimes it kind of flattens it out. That one kind of flattened out. I was a little shocked that it came up five yards short of the front edge.
Q. Where would you put this course on your favorites?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh, it's a great golf course. It's just a great golf course. Tee-to-green, it's a beautiful track. You have to hit lots of different shots.
You know, they have changed it a little bit, but they haven't ruined it. I would say that I'm not -- I haven't been all that impressed with some of the changes, but the golf course is so great. As long as you don't do anything too major, it's a brilliant place.
They changed some of the greens a little bit, seemed to be a little bit out of character with Riviera but it's still great. It's such a great place. You know, every great golf course goes through stages of changing it and tinkering with it and all that. It would be pretty hard to mess this one up too much.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
Please see attached transcripts of interviews following Friday’s second round of the PGA TOUR’s Northern Trust Open. Included are transcripts from leader Phil Mickelson (10-under-par 132); Robert Allenby and Jeff Quinney (6-under-par 136); Scott McCarron and Chad Campbell (5-under-par 137); and Fred Couples (2-under-par 140).
Play was suspended due to darkness Friday at 5:48 p.m. with six players left on the course. Those players will be in position Saturday at 7:15 a.m. to complete their second rounds. Once the second round is complete, the cut will be made and the third round will begin.
STEWART MOORE: Phil Mickelson, thanks for spending a few moments here in the interview room at the Northern Trust Open. Fantastic second round, 64 out there, and birdies on 17 and 18. Just some opening comments on the round.
PHIL MICKELSON: It was a good day today. I made a lot of putts. A lot of putts went in. Shots ended up close. It was a good day.
Q. Can you talk about this place, what it means to you? And I think I heard you correctly last week, you said, "This is the one place I haven't won that I would really love to win." Can you expand on that a little bit?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I haven't won the U.S. or British Open either, and I really want to win those, but let not jump ahead of ourselves.
On the West Coast, this is the tournament that's eluded me and I've tried very hard to win. I had a good chance last year and let it slip away. I'm hoping to have a good weekend here, because this tournament means a lot to me. The West Coast means a lot to me.
Q. Is some of that the tradition, as well, of this place?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think the history of the golf course is one of the things. Also, it was my second TOUR event I ever played in the L.A. Open; and playing Riviera with so much history and coming out here and watching and partaking in the event as a teenager just has a special place in my heart.
Q. Can you talk about making it from 60 feet out on No. 5 and what that did for the rest of your round?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, those are kind of bonus shots. That was lucky that that went in much.
It was not a hard putt to 2-putt because it was straight uphill. I felt like I could get it close okay. But it was very fortunate to go in, and it was just a bonus shot.
Q. What is it about your game that you play here sporadically and were never really in the thick of things, but now in the last two years looks like you have pretty good command of the place. What's changed, I guess?
PHIL MICKELSON: I don't have a great answer for you. I've missed the tournament for a few years because it was overextending my schedule and now I've got a great system. It never even dawned on me to commute and this has worked out great. I get to be at home for dinner, see the kids, sleep in my own bed, and I think that's helped me play well here. I think that's been a big plus, because it doesn't feel like it's an away week. It doesn't feel like I'm traveling. It doesn't feel like I've been out on the road very long.
Q. Do you think that's the difference? Even when you did show up in the odd years, it didn't seem like you played well.
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I don't know. I don't know why it's turned. But when I played last year, I felt really good on the course and I felt I was going to play well this week, or the week last year. And I felt heading into this week, I was really close to playing really well.
Q. People talk a lot about the golf gods working for or against you, and you talked about that earlier, the wind, getting the best of both days and just how that played out.
PHIL MICKELSON: The early/late tee times had a huge advantage this week. A lot of the times, it doesn't make too much of a difference but every now and then, there will be an advantage on one wave, and we certainly had that. I mean, all of the scores that are any good, 90 percent of them are from the early/late wave.
We avoided wind yesterday morning. It died down this afternoon. Just we got very lucky.
Q. Scott McCarron was in here, and of course, he missed a year and a half of golf; are you familiar with the injury he had, and does anybody talk about that coming back? He and Brandt Jobe both on major medical.
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, we talked about it a little bit last week, or maybe it was two weeks ago, and I didn't realize that he had been out over a here.
Sometimes we get in our own world of our family and traveling and our corporate responsibilities, and we just lose sight of what's going on with some players. We had Dudley Hart and David Duval out last year. I love the new medical for family. I think that's a great idea. It allows you to support your family and your spouse and your kids and not have a huge negative effect on your career. It's really cool and it's good to see them back out.
Q. I think 64 is the lowest you've shot here, and how big was the birdie, or the birdies on last two holes? You had been playing so well earlier in the round, and then just kind of went along with pars. How big were they at the end?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, pars are not bad here. Nobody is going to be making a ton of birdies. The greens are firm and it's hard to get it close. A lot of times, you just maintain the round with pars and you'll get a few birdies here and there.
But the biggest shot that set up those two birdies is the par putt on 16. It kept momentum of the round going and it didn't let the round kind of slip away.
16 wasn't an overly difficult hole. I just hit it a little long. But making that, probably, a 12-footer up the hill for par gave me a little bit of a momentum keeper, and then I came in with two birdies on 17 and 18. 17 wasn't a hard birdie, though, but 18 was a good hole.
Q. Do you feel like you're striking the ball well?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I hit it a lot better today than I did yesterday, and I'm putting a lot better. I'm hitting a lot of good putts. I'm reading them well. My speed is much better, so I'm hitting a lot of good putts.
I felt like my game has been really close, but I haven't quite put it together yet. And today it started to come together. But we still have two more rounds, so hopefully I'll keep improving on the way I'm striking it and the way that I've been putting, too.
Q. Firstly, what did you hit in on 18?
PHIL MICKELSON: 6-iron.
Q. And was there any shot or shots today that you were particularly pleased with, and why?
PHIL MICKELSON: I hit a shot into 1 to start the round. I hit a 3-iron from, I don't know, 247, that ended up 12 feet. That kind of got me off to a good start, an easy 2-putt birdie. I almost made eagle. I thought that was a nice way to start the round because it wasn't an easy pin to get up-and-down from a lot of places around the green.
STEWART MOORE: On that note, can we briefly go through your other birdies? We touched on 1 and 18; the ones in between.
PHIL MICKELSON: I birdied 4 with a 5-iron to 10 feet and made it.
5, I made the 60-footer.
6 I hit a good shot on the green about 45 feet underneath the hole and 3-putted it, left it five feet short and missed it.
Came back though with a birdie on 7. I hit a 3-iron and a pitching wedge to two feet, 2 ½ feet.
And I birdied 9. I hit driver and a gap wedge to 12 feet.
Birdied 10. I hit a 3-wood left of the green but chipped up to three feet.
Birdied 11. Hit driver, 3-iron just right of the green and chipped up to eight feet.
Bogeyed 12. I hit a driver in the right rough, 7-iron in the right bunker, bunker shot to 12 feet and made -- missed it.
Then 17, we talked about. I hit driver, 3-iron to 45 yards and hit it in there 3 1/2 feet.
Then 18, driver, 6-iron to 20 feet.
Q. Gap wedge on 9?
PHIL MICKELSON: Gap wedge on 9, yeah. The wind changed when I was out there.
Q. It wasn't all you?
PHIL MICKELSON: The wind changing? Yesterday I had to hit 5-iron, or I would have if I could have hit the fairway. (Laughter) Today it was gap wedge.
Q. I'm curious about your travel, how you get home and do it so quickly? How much of that has to do with the traffic around here, and how long does it take you to get home from here?
PHIL MICKELSON: Door to door, about an hour and ten minutes. It's not bad once I leave here. It takes about 15 minutes to get to Santa Monica Airport. I use some side streets. GPS is nice. That's been helpful.
Q. I live in Sherman Oaks and can't get there that fast.
PHIL MICKELSON: I've beaten Bones just about every night. Where's TR (Reinman)? He drove four and a half miles for 90 minutes, and we're back home having dinner and he's still on the freeway.
Q. A little off the subject here, coming up next week starts the 10th year of the World Golf Championships series. From when they first started in '99 to now, how are they it different, do you think?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, they are all played in the U.S. They weren't all played in the U.S. originally I think. That's probably a nice benefit if you're an American player.
Q. Do you notice any lack of separation maybe that there once was, where there's so many good tournaments now and so many players from around the world that play these good tournaments now that they are not as distinctive, or is that not true?
PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know. It hard to say that, because the majors have such an importance that it's hard for any other event to compete with.
I think THE PLAYERS does. I think THE PLAYERS is kind of right there, but there's a huge fall-off, whether it's a World Golf Championships or whether it's even the FedExCup or whether it's at Wachovia Championship which is a great event. Or even here at the L.A. Open, the Northern Trust Open, because there's so much history here, it's such a special tournament and guys want to win it but the majors really separate themselves.
Q. You mentioned it never dawned on you to do this commute. Who gave you the idea?
PHIL MICKELSON: Ultimately I came up with it, but it just took me 15 years, yeah. (Laughter).
STEWART MOORE: Thanks so much and good luck this weekend.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Robert, for joining us for a few minutes here in the media center at the Northern Trust Open. Solid round out there today, 66. I just looked at the board, I think Phil is leading at 10-under, you're at 6-under, not sure what's going to happen the rest of the day. But just talk about your position and how you're playing out there, and you've had success here with the victory here.
ROBERT ALLENBY: Yeah, I have. I'm happy with the way I played. I played nicely, especially the first 11 holes. Probably the last six, seven holes, well, I didn't make my birdies.
So I felt like I probably should have, but I didn't. It was just a matter of I didn't hit it close enough. It wasn't a matter of missing putts or anything like that. I just never hit it close enough to really give myself a chance.
But look, I mean, you know, if Phil is at 10-under, that's fine. There's a long way to go. There's still 36 holes to go and a lot of birdies out there. So I've made plenty of birdies here before, so there's no reason why I can't do it on the weekend.
Q. We just had Scott McCarron in here and obviously he's played here in the past. Phil played well last year. You've played well here a lot. Is it that kind of course that just horses for courses; it seems like the same guys appear at the top of the leaderboard time and again.
ROBERT ALLENBY: I've won here before, and I know what it takes to win. And I've done it the hard way, too, if you want to put it that way. But I don't think we're going to be hitting 3-woods into 18 come this Sunday.
You know, last year I finished third; I probably should have won. I felt like I should have won. I was leading with about six or seven holes to go on the Sunday, and I just didn't quite finish it off.
But look, I've got a lot of good memories here and this golf course sets up really well for me. I love the greens. Poa has always been one of my favorite surfaces to putt on. I grew up on poa, so they just -- these greens really suit my eye.
You know, there's a long way to go here. I'm happy with the way I've played so far. I left a lot of shots out there yesterday. But, you know, I'm happy that I made up some today and hopefully I can make up some more tomorrow and some more on Sunday.
Q. Would you say the greens are the biggest factor because you grew up on poa?
ROBERT ALLENBY: I think so. I'm putting really well. I've putted really well the last two days. You know, I don't know, poa's always been a type of green that I've always putted well on. So, you know, it's like every time I get over a putt here, it's like I already know the line, so it's just a matter of putting it on it.
You know, they can get a little bumpy come the afternoon. So, you know, you still -- if you hit it solid, it will go in still.
Q. When you have a guy like Phil or anybody that's four or five ahead of you, how do you resist the temptation to feel like you have to try to make things happen over the next 36 holes? How do you not force it and just play your own game?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Well, that's all you can do. You just go out there and play your own game. You know, just remember, he is human. He's human, so he can make mistakes, and that could happen over the weekend. Yeah, he might be four shots in front, but there's 36 holes to go, and, yeah, he's one of best players in the world and he's won a few majors. Obviously he's playing well.
But, you know, I know that I could shoot 6-, 7-under any given day around this golf course, because that's just the way it sets up for me. Really, it's just a matter of getting out of my own way and letting myself do it. I've made a bunch of birdies, six birdies yesterday, I think seven birdies today, six birdies today, whatever it was. I made like eight birdies in the Pro-Am.
The golf course sets up well for me, and I know that if I play the way I can play, there's no reason why I can't get up in front.
Q. You said "he's human." Can you elaborate?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Well, he can make mistakes.
Q. What are you -- sorry.
ROBERT ALLENBY: That's all right. I expect that from you. (Laughter).
Q. What are you doing this week that you haven't been doing the first, say, month of the year?
ROBERT ALLENBY: I've been looking forward to this tournament from when I left it last year. It's just one of my favorite tournaments to come to. It's one of my favorite golf courses. You know, it sets up really well.
You know, I think it's traditional. It's not tricked up and they made a couple of changes on, I think it's 17 on the green there, and they have actually done a pretty good job. I mean, you can hardly tell.
When they do make changes, they make good changes. Not like some other places on TOUR that what they make some changes, they really can stuff it up. This golf course is very traditional, and that's what I like about it. You think that you should be shooting 8- , 9-under every time you come out here, but the greens are so tricky that it's never as low as you expect.
Q. Do you feel fortunate at all to have been in the wave with calm conditions both days?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Yeah, I've been very lucky obviously. I had very still conditions yesterday morning and obviously this afternoon; it just got better and better as the day went on.
I think the best part of my game is actually playing in the wind. But I'm not complaining about having perfect conditions for two days. I think the weekend is meant to be pretty much like this afternoon, so I think we are in for a good weekend, good weather and some good golf, at least for me anyway. I'm not worried about the others. (Chuckling).
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Can we go through your birdies and bogeys, starting with the birdie on No. 2?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Yeah, 2, I just hit a driver, 9-iron to about four feet.
5, just trying to remember what I hit in there. Pitching wedge to about, I don't know, 18 feet.
8, that was a pitching wedge to about 10 feet.
9, I hit an 8-iron into the middle of the green and holed about a 35 footer down the hill.
10, I chipped it up to probably about a foot.
11, I chipped it up to about a foot and a half.
The bogey at 12, I actually hit a pretty good tee shot down the left side and then it just rolled into the rough. I couldn't get to the green. I had such a poor lie. I just laid it up and hit a pretty average third in there, sucked it off the green. It was a good bogey in the end.
And then all pars to finish with. Never really did anything fancy at all.
Q. Where were you on 10 exactly?
ROBERT ALLENBY: I was 30 yards left of the green. I wanted to be left because the flag was in a tricky position and I thought, well, it would be better over there because of the angle coming into the green.
Q. Which hole location on this green makes you the most nervous?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Every single one. There's no easy flag, unless you hit the ball in absolute perfect position.
But I think it's one of the greatest, shortest par 4s in the world, it really is. Because you think that you should be making birdie every time, but you don't. It's just a great hole, it really is.
Q. Do you stand on that tee thinking, here is where I cannot miss it, which is kind of a negative way, you know, to be thinking off a tee shot.
ROBERT ALLENBY: You know what, at the end of the day, just stand up there and hit it and try to hit it exactly where you're trying to hit it.
If it finishes in the wrong spot, then you just persevere with it. You know, realistically, if you miss it just left of the green, you should have perfect shot every time, no matter where the flag is. If you miss it right, where I did yesterday, it's a pretty tricky shot. But I was fortunate yesterday, I made a good putt for a birdie.
It's a good hole but it's tricky.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...
Q. How did it go out there today?
JEFF QUINNEY: Pretty good. We definitely lucked out with the draw. You know, the wind was blowing out a little bit, and by the time we got to the turn, it just quit. The whole back nine was dead calm, and you know, very fortunate to do that, and just took advantage of the benign conditions. And other than bogeying the last hole, felt pretty good.
Q. You had a real hot start last year. What are you doing to sustain that looking forward?
JEFF QUINNEY: I just came out with the mind-set that the West Coast is where I want to take advantage. I felt very comfortable on all the courses, liked all the courses, just fits my eye and playing on this -- growing up on the West Coast, the poa annua doesn't really bug me. I'm used to those conditions. And just being close to home, I always seem to play well.
Q. What about this course, specifically?
JEFF QUINNEY: I just like the way it's playing. I definitely like the way of it's firm and you really have got to place your irons accurately. You know, I wouldn't say there's a lot of hazards or OB that's in play too much. You can kind of get up there and rip your driver and sometimes that's my downfall is one errant tee shot.
But I just love Riviera. Just everything about it, I feel very comfortable here.
Q. How different is it playing when it's calm like this, as opposed to yesterday afternoon?
JEFF QUINNEY: I think it's everything. You know, yesterday morning, I think we escaped that a little bit, too, and it just happens week-to-week like that. Sometimes you get on the bad draw.
When you definitely have some elevation changes and the greens are so firm; there's so many factors to consider, and that way, you can kind of just -- the wind is not going to touch the ball and you can just play for the firm green and roll out.
Q. Four shots behind Phil with two rounds left to play, how much are you thinking about who is in the lead, or is it more still two rounds to play and just do your own thing?
JEFF QUINNEY: I definitely looked at the leaderboard coming down the last nine holes, and I was right up there and saw that Phil was up there. I don't know if I'm in the final group or not tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that if I am. He's a fellow Sun Devil, and my first time to play with him competitively. We've played some golf back in college and in some practice rounds. You know, he's a top player in the world, and looking forward to the challenge.
Q. How do you keep yourself from trying to go out tomorrow and try to get all four shots back right off in the first hole? How do you pace yourself?
JEFF QUINNEY: I think you just know that this golf course is not that type of golf course. You don't have to shoot 8-under on Saturday. Last year I think I shot 4-under and moved up the leaderboard. If you get firm greens and the wind blows a little bit, a couple under can move you a long way.
Q. Everybody talks about how much they love this course and it's a classic course and you have to move the ball. Do you feel like you wish you played more courses like this on TOUR week-to-week like Riviera?
JEFF QUINNEY: I would love to. It seems like everything they add new is kind of that modern resort-style, and this is just traditional, easy-walking course. And definitely this fits my eye a lot more.
Q. What do you think about the new title sponsor, they are trying to do things, sending flowers to wives and girlfriends, and the Wii.
JEFF QUINNEY: That's a big perk. I think they raised the purse by a million dollars, and I think every tournament is kind of stepping up.
I'm very impressed. I definitely took advantage of the flower-sending. You know, those little things make a lot of difference in the players' mind. It's silly, we are playing for a lot of money, but those added things can draw you back.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: We thank Scott McCarron for joining us for a few minutes here in the interview room at the Northern Trust Open. Nice solid round there, 65. I'm sure it feels great to be in this position after a year and a half of battling that injury, and also you've had a little success here at this course. So those go together, and just talk about being back in the hunt right now after 36 holes.
SCOTT McCARRON: Yeah, going to school here at UCLA right down the street, I played here quite a bit, so this is one of my favorite golf courses on the PGA TOUR. Just has such a great feeling.
I've been out for a year and a half. So I really have no business being in the hunt or near the lead, but I feel good coming in here. I put my old irons in play this week, so I have to thank a good buddy of mine, Chris Thogh (ph), for sending them from my house, and just feels good. I played good, swung real free today.
Hit the ball really well the last round at Spyglass at the AT&T, so I started getting a little confidence in my game and played Tuesday at L.A. North in the fund-raiser and hit it so bad I was almost ready to go home. I just love this place and have some good feelings coming in here and lo and behold, I played pretty good today.
Q. You had the surgery in August of '06.
SCOTT McCARRON: Correct.
Q. What happened after that? Did you play any golf at all last year? What did you, sit around Reno? Describe your life from the time of the surgery.
SCOTT McCARRON: Had the surgery in August 16th of '06. It's a long recovery. They had to reattach a tendon back on to the bone, the radialis brevis tendon, so I couldn't play any golf.
Q. Was it wear and tear?
SCOTT McCARRON: I don't know for sure. But January 4th of '06 is when it started hurting, and I thought it was tendinitis. Had a couple cortisone shots and played about seven months with it that way. So I don't know if it tore right there in January, if it tore right there during the next seven months. But I was playing with almost one hand. Should have had the MRI done right, away and in hindsight, wish I would have.
After the surgery, there wasn't much I could do. I couldn't play golf. So I was at home being dad, driving my kids to school, making them breakfast -- my kids are sitting back there. So we had a great time, doing all the things I wasn't able to do traveling on the road.
So my wife and my kids kept me pretty busy and after about, I would say after about three months being at home, my wife kind of turned to me and said, "You're really happy right now," and I said this is probably the happiest I've ever been, being able to be at home, it was a nice feeling. Still, I love playing golf. I miss the competition and as soon as I could start hitting balls and playing again, I did. I really was setting my goals on coming back here and playing well. So I've worked real hard to come back.
Q. When did you actually pick up a club again, and was there any fear that either you would reinjure it again?
SCOTT McCARRON: Oh, yeah, I've played in fear for the last, you know, five or six months really, not sure if I could ever come back. I would say it was almost a year to the date that I was able to start hitting balls, August of '07 without too much pain.
Now when I say that, I was still kind of flinching at impact waiting for the pain. My brain still wasn't letting me hit shots and swing through and that lasted really up until, oh, I would say October, right around there. I went and played the Dunhill Links Championship end of last year to try it out and see how it felt, and it felt pretty good. I was able to swing and let shots go and not worry about it hurting.
Now it still hurts a little bit and still gets a little sore and stiff at night, so I have to ice it and keep the inflammation down. I've been working so hard to get this thing back so I can play golf again.
But there was a long time that I wasn't sure if I could ever come back.
Q. Going to go back in the rag business?
SCOTT McCARRON: Absolutely not. (Laughter).
Q. Are you worried about setting your TV career back?
SCOTT McCARRON: (Laughing) Thanks, Thomas. I had a great time working wore the GOLF CHANNEL doing the Masters. It was a lot of fun for me. And it kind of gave me a sense of, well, if I can't play golf, at least I don't have to go back in the shirt business and I might be able to do some TV.
They were great to me back there at the Masters and the GOLF CHANNEL, so it was fun.
Q. I think you made the cut on the number at the Hope. Were you frustrated at all about getting off to a little bit of a slow start, you just kind of thought that was part of the process?
SCOTT McCARRON: Well, I knew it was going to be part of the process. One of the things about being injured, almost all of us played too long with injury and come back too early. So for me to really come back and play, I needed a few more events under my belt but there was really nothing for me to play in, so I had to play on the PGA TOUR. I made the cut on the number at the Hope birdieing the last three holes. I really wanted to make that cut, which I did.
Playing San Diego, that golf course, really, it was too tough for me coming back that early. I wasn't ready to play that type of golf course yet.
Phoenix, I was disappointed missing the cut, because I usually play well there. And AT&T, I haven't done that well there. Even though it's a slow start, I haven't played particularly that well at those golf courses so I really wasn't that worried about it.
Q. Now that you're here, is it one of those things where you walk on the grounds and you thought, "I belong here, this is where I always play well," how much does that get into your head?
SCOTT McCARRON: Certainly, you get on this golf course and the trees really shape a lot of the holes which I love. I love being able to work the ball on the tee. It really sets up well for my eye. I like playing here. I've played here quite a bit.
So I've got, you know, good memories here. I've also got some real hard memories when I lost to Len Mattiace on the last hole, and then I lost the next week at the Match Play in the finals. It took me a long time to get over those two losses. I was really disappointed. I really wanted to win those tournaments and especially win here at Riviera, just means so much to me with the nostalgia and being here and going to UCLA.
I have a lot of good feelings, a lot of good feelings here.
Q. And you talk about, you're a little bit surprised, as well as you've played to this point, but it has to give you a feeling of why can't I win this thing now, right?
SCOTT McCARRON: Certainly you have to get where you are receive back in position. Funny, today, making a bunch of birdies, I felt really comfortable out there making birdies and playing well. I don't feel that comfortable when I'm shooting 75, 76; it's just one of those things.
So as soon as I started getting back in that flow again, I felt like this is normal. Even though I haven't been there for a long, long time.
Q. Do you have any sense of what kind of rhythm you want to be in as far as playing? I know you played well today obviously, but do you expect this now more and more now that the injury is pretty much past you?
SCOTT McCARRON: Well, I expect to, you know, kind of get back -- I still feel my best golf is ahead of me. I'm 42 years old and I'm still in fairly decent shape. So I still feel like my best golf is ahead of me. Just because you're 42 doesn't mean that you have to play bad.
These guys out here, the young kids out there are really, really good and they hit it a long way, so I'm always looking for extra distance now, where before I was kind of one of the longer guys out here and now I'm kind of average. But I still feel like I can play some good golf.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Can we go through your birdies and then that bogey on 18? You started on 1.
SCOTT McCARRON: Yeah, started on 1. Hit a good drive off the tee, hit a 4-iron just left of the green. Hit a great chip up there to about four feet and made that for birdie.
3, real good drive down there and hit a sand wedge in there about two feet.
9, hit a good drive there, Bubba only hit it about 70 yards by me, Bubba Watson. And as I hit it, I yelled, "Get by him." He's an unbelievable talent by the way. I was amazed; first time I ever played with him. Hit a great wedge shot in there about five or six feet and made that for birdie.
Then my family showed up which was nice on 10. Hit a great drive on 10 which they flew down from Reno today.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: After school, I assume.
SCOTT McCARRON: Of course they did, yes.
Hit a good drive on 10, just exactly where I wanted to. Had a perfect chip straight right at it and chipped it to about four or feet.
Good drive and 3-wood just left of the green and another good chip to about four feet and made that for birdie on 11.
12, I fanned one over on the trees, and I had 210 to the front edge and had to carve it around the trees and hit a beautiful 3-iron just short of the green and then made about -- I think it was about a 50-footer or so and rattled it right in the cage and that was nice.
Then 16, hit a beautiful 8-iron in there about a foot and made that for birdie and then bogeyed 18.
Real disappointed, I doubled 18 yesterday from the middle of the fairway and today I had a beautiful drive in there 194, and pulled my 6-iron and had just kind of a funky lie. That kikuyu is very difficult and just wasn't able to get it up-and-down.
Q. Did you become proficient when you were playing Mr. Mom, or Mr. Dad, if you will, did you get into any parent activities?
SCOTT McCARRON: Oh, yeah, went on parent field trips and volunteered at school and helped coach soccer and drove my daughter to drama and acting class all the time. So, yeah, I was getting proficient at being on schedule ask having to pick them up and drop them off at the right time.
Q. What kind of a coach were you?
SCOTT McCARRON: I was an enthusiastic coach; we'll put it that way. (Laughter) But I had a great time, great time.
Q. I wanted to ask you, also, when you're out here, do you get together with a lot of your buddies from UCLA when you come back here?
SCOTT McCARRON: I do. I have a lot of my fraternity brothers from UCLA, we had 30 guys out here. Brandt Jobe and I were fraternity brothers at UCLA at the same t