Q. I know you like hitting bombs. You gave us a couple bombs on the par-4, 14, and then again at the par-5. Tell me about the strategy.
PHIL MICKELSON: So I figured on the par-5, 5th, we had the wind straight down. If I hit a good one and got it up in the air, even if it went in the water, it was just as though I had a lay-up and I could have had a drop in the fairway to try to make birdie. I only had 114 to the front of the green. I felt like that was the time to kind of take a little bit of risk. It paid off. Unfortunately I didn't make the eagle putt, but I had a little sand wedge in to a par-5.
Q. Beautiful on your strategy; 14, have you driven that green before?
PHIL MICKELSON: So they moved the tee way up for us to have that. It was 310 to the hole, and I just thought if I could hit a stock cut driver and just fly it around 300, it was a little bit into the wind, it would stop, which it did. The greens were soft, and I again had a good look at eagle. Unfortunately didn't make that one, either, but it was a nice shot.
Q. How do you feel the course has played the first two days?
PHIL MICKELSON: So I'm surprised at what tremendous condition the golf course is in given the heat they've had here, but the greens are healthy, they're in great shape, and it's fun for us, and we're all very appreciative to have Jack Nicklaus host us for two weeks.
Q. And with that hosting for two weeks, has the course played so far the way you would expect it to play for the first week of two?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think that's what was anticipated was to let the rough grow throughout the two weeks and get very difficult for next week, and so it's fun for me to see this golf course play slightly different and to be able to be a little bit more aggressive on some holes, and I know next week we won't have the opportunity to do that.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports