THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome captain of HyFlyers GC, Phil Mickelson. Phil, well-played today, 3-under par round of 68. You're currently tied for third after round 1 here at LIV Golf Chicago. Can you talk us through your round.
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, it was a very solid steady day until the last couple holes where I made a few bogeys. I made a lot of birdies. I had a nice run of four in a row, was hitting it well, and I thought it was a very fair, tough challenge. The wind made it difficult, but the greens were receptive at times, and I thought it was very playable.
But this is a hard golf course, and under these conditions with the wind, it can be challenging. But I was fortunate to make some birdies and have a nice run there, and it's got a really great mixture of fun birdie holes and really difficult pars.
Q. Just a few thoughts heading into the weekend. What are some of your takeaways from today that you're going to work on going into the weekend here?
PHIL MICKELSON: It was a good start. I just need to finish the round off a little bit more solid than I did today, and I think it's going to be a great weekend.
We always love coming to Chicago. The people here have been such great sports fans. For decades been coming here and have had great support in the game of golf, and it's fun to see the people out here and the way that they've responded to this tournament, and this course has been a wonderful host.
But again, I think this course is very exciting to play because you have holes where you can make birdies and eagles, and you also have some really tough pars, and you're seeing some bogeys and doubles.
I think that makes for a really exciting weekend.
Q. Phil, obviously there's a lot on the line for a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. What's it been like in the team room with the HyFlyers as we go down this last stretch?
PHIL MICKELSON: So everybody is feeling a little bit of pressure, whether they're trying to get in the top 24, whether they're trying to get in the top 5 or the top 3 and get a little bonus or whether you're trying to get out of relegation. Everybody is in pursuit of something. They're pursuing moving ahead, whatever those goals are these next two weeks.
The HyFlyers, we're staying in pursuit of a few things. Camo is one stop out of the top 24. I've slid from 11th to 20th this year. I'm trying to get back up to top 10. We're pursuing there.
Then obviously I'm worried about Steeley and Andy because they haven't played this year the way they want to, and I know that they're feeling some pressure, but Andy came out today, played a good round. I don't think Steeley is going to be relegated. I think he's fine.
The way I've seen him play back home, I'm not worried about him. He's been playing some really good golf. Something must have happened a little weird today because that's not what I've been seeing from him. We're looking forward to a good weekend and kind of gaining some momentum.
Our team, the HyFlyers, had a good start to the season and had some opportunities to win. That's what we want. We need to create opportunities to win because that's what's fun, that's what's exciting.
We're all pursuing our own personal goals, but as a team, we would really like to get our first win.
Q. You mentioned your own position; obviously you're on pace to have your best finish in LIV Golf. What would that mean to get into the top 10, maybe even farther up to just where you're at in this portion of your career and how you've played so well this season?
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I really want to finish the year off right. I've played well this year, played consistent, and have had almost -- with one or two exceptions, I've been in the top 24 each week, so I've played consistent.
At 55, I think that's a cool accomplishment, and I would love to finish this year off right, move back up the list, and have two more solid finishes before we go to the Team Championship.
That's more of just a personal goal of mine that I think to play against competition like this, Rahm and Bryson and Brooks and DJ and Cam Smith and Joaco and these guys, and to be able to hang, I think that would mean a lot to me.
Q. I use the word "pursuit" many times, and your YouTube series, "in pursuit," it's evident your team is very close-knit. With Andy now rounding into form and Steeley playing well, what would it mean for your team to make a run in the Team Championship as all the players in your team start to peak at this point of the season?
PHIL MICKELSON: I can't tell you how much that would mean to us because we have really worked well together this year. We've been close, and we've had opportunities to win. We've fallen short. We're starting to build and get some momentum heading into the Team Championship, and it's what we've been working for as well as our individual placement on LIV.
We have a lot that we're fighting for, and I like using that word "in pursuit." We're saying in pursuit because we're on offense. We're chasing after something. We're not playing defensive. We're not trying to hold on to anything; we're trying to go move up. To get some momentum heading into the Team Championship and hopefully do well would mean a lot to us.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports