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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP


June 14, 2014


Phil Mickelson


PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA


PHIL MICKELSON: Interesting day. A little different golf course. Pins were very difficult. The only birdie pin I thought was 18. But the greens were receptive; it wasn't unfair. It was a very good test. But I don't think anybody has shot par yet. Usually somebody goes out early and shoots a low score. It's not happening yet.

Q. (Inaudible.)
PHIL MICKELSON: No, you just couldn't. The pins are so close to the edges that if it went sometimes four to six feet on that one side, it was down in a bad spot. So it was a tough. It was a tough day to try to go low.

Q. Are you okay with the way they did that? Is that a good third round way to go at it for them today?
PHIL MICKELSON: Probably. Given the way the first two days played, I think that you want to have a little bit more of a sterner test. I think they probably could have put some of it in the first two days, where there were maybe some tougher pins. But it's tough to do that when you have 156 guys trying to get through and you could be playing back and forth on some of the greens and it could just take forever. So I think it's good. It was hard for me because I was trying to make a move and it was hard to get birdies. But a lot of that was due to the fact I didn't hit it very well, either.

Q. How was your putting?
PHIL MICKELSON: Putted great for me. For me, I putted really good.

Q. What did you do differently?
PHIL MICKELSON: I'm always tinkering, making adjustments. And I've been having trouble getting the putter to go to the target. It's been kind of a short follow-through. So I had the shaft aimed a little straighter, a little more forward lean or forward press. I took some of that out so the shaft was a little more vertical. The putter head went to the target a little bit easier. But I actually hit it pretty good today. I hit a lot of good putts today.

Q. Are you disappointed? You talked about a lot of your game coming back. How do you feel right now about it?
PHIL MICKELSON: You know, my results aren't very good, but my game doesn't feel bad. I'm not discouraged about my game. I'm not watered about it. I just -- I haven't quite put it together yet. But I'm excited about the fact that this year my driving, it took a whole different turn. And the technology and the driver now for me is optimum. It's easy for me to hit. I feel like I have control with it, just like I do my irons. I've always felt like when I drive the ball well I'm tough to beat, because my iron play is usually pretty good. Today it wasn't. I feel like long-term I'm on the right track and I'm excited about the next few years.

Q. Short-term are you disappointed you're not in a better position for tomorrow?
PHIL MICKELSON: A little bit. It's unlikely to just turn on a dime. You have to take baby steps, if you will. So a good step for me is a good solid round for me tomorrow. I'll play a good solid round tomorrow, not really worry about the results and see if I can finish the year strong.

Q. (Inaudible.)
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, there -- I kept waiting. Well, I can't get to this one, I'll get to maybe the next hole. Can't get to this one, I'll get to the next hole. Finally, we got to the 18th and I'm like I can get to the pin (laughter). It's going to be an interesting day. It's going to be an interesting round. I don't see anybody shooting under par today. It could happen, but it's very unlikely.

Q. Your thoughts about tomorrow?
PHIL MICKELSON: Just try to go play a good, solid round. If I play well -- if I hit it better and make some putts, I think I can shoot 4- or 5-under par, end around even, finish second again (laughter).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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