Q. Start with the approach to 18, what you hit in.
JUSTIN ROSE: I hit a 56-degree wedge from it was 116 front, which is the number I was interested in, and down breeze a little bit, we kind of had maybe seven yards of help, so whatever that is, but a 109 shot. Came out perfect. I knew it was going to tumble, so even if I got a flier I didn't feel like it was going to go, like, screaming. I felt like with a lob wedge or sand wedge, the flight tends to loop a little bit.
Yeah, listen, it didn't need to be much further left to get into trouble, but as soon as it landed I knew it had a great chance of being good.
Q. A little bit of -- a lot of movement between you and Tommy. Both of you kind of pull away, draw close. What was the day like for you two?
JUSTIN ROSE: Probably fighting our own inner battles out there, I suppose. I felt like I got off to what I felt was like a great start. I felt like I played pretty flawless golf until the second shot at 9. Obviously Tommy had a tough second hole, third hole. Then I felt like I struggled a little bit through the middle of the back nine, just kind of picking the wind felt difficult. Just didn't kind of fall into the same rhythm that I had on the front. But made a good couple birdies coming in. Obviously 16, two great swings there. Unfortunately missed the fairway at 17, was left with nothing, but then the birdie for me on 18 with a two-shot swing with Tommy makes me walk off the golf course feeling like it was a good day's work.
Q. What's your mindset going into the final round tomorrow knowing that the No. 1 world's golfer is still right there?
JUSTIN ROSE: 100 percent, yeah. I knew Scottie was 12-under. I was 12-under playing the last. I knew it would be nice to play with Tommy on Sunday. Tommy is probably happy I'm playing with him on Sunday rather than Scottie, too, so he was probably cheering that birdie I would imagine just because it's a comfortable environment for the two of us to play.
There's a whole chasing pack tomorrow that have nothing to lose, so that's always dangerous. If you build a six dark shot lead, that's something to think about. A one-shot lead, you're expecting the whole pack to come at you. It's going to be who comes out tomorrow, who plays free and who plays well.
Q. Earlier during the round we had a flyover to commemorate Fred Smith, founder of FedEx. Talk about what that celebration meant to you and what it actually meant to see the flyover.
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, absolutely. Obviously the business Fred was able to build with all of his executives and everybody here in Memphis is remarkable. Obviously everyone around the world benefits from the amazing work that they've done here. Obviously the headquarters feels so prominent here at the golf course, at Southwind. To see the jet flying around, the pilot having some fun with it, obviously Fred's initials and logo on the bottom of the plane, yeah, it was special.
Obviously I know quite a few of the executives at FedEx and they all speak so highly of him and obviously my condolences to the family but hopefully this is a celebration of everything he's achieved and everything FedEx has achieved.
Q. Like you said to Todd, you're going to throw everything at each other, but what is that final twosome on a Sunday like with a friend?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I haven't done it many times, to be honest with you. Yeah, I think I'm pretty -- there's a lot at stake tomorrow. If you win, clearly tons at stake. Whatever happens tomorrow, either of us is going to have to just hang in there, keep having as best day as we possibly can because there's just lots to play for. We want to come out and win. We want to come out and play great. That's objective A. But if you've got to resort to plan B, we'll be out there, we'll be playing in good spirits, we'll have having our heads down, work as hard as we can, shake hands and give each other a hug on 18.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports