PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 20, 2023

Phil Mickelson

Oak Hill Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. What are the different challenges that this course gave you today than the first couple days presented?

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's going to play longer. I actually think it's easier to putt. It's easier to putt in the rain because they are smoother. You don't have spike marks. They don't get quite as away from you, and they were more receptive, I thought, the greens. So I thought that made it easier.

But obviously the distance, the ball squirting off the tee, that's challenging. Rough is tougher. I thought it was a fun, fair test.

So I really enjoyed the challenge. We saw some good scores out there. It's doable. I mean, there's birdie holes out there. It's not impossible. It's just playing difficult. But if you play well, I think you can shoot under par here.

Q. And I know everybody is talking to you about the 100 cuts. You've been one of the greatest players to ever tee it up and we've always been talking to you about winning major championships and things like that, but what does the longevity and consistency mean to you?

PHIL MICKELSON: It shows that I've had a lot of great experiences in the game of golf and that I've had a lot of great years and opportunities and I guess life experiences; playing in these tournaments is something I'm very appreciative of. I mean, it just shows how old I am, I guess, and how many years I've been playing. But it's been really fun to participate in so many great events and play well in them.

Q. The last thing would be tomorrow, with the conditions changing again, what do you think this stretch with the leaders going out later today and into tomorrow, what type of player does that favor?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's hard to say after today before the guys play because you don't know who is going to be up there. You don't know who is going to be able to kind of fight through the conditions, salvage pars, play smart and away from pins and get themselves in position it's possible somebody pulls away. It's possible somebody shoots 3- or 4-under in this weather and pulls away and makes -- but it's just hard to say.