Phil Mickelson Quotes (196 Quotes)

I was trying to match (Henry's) score today and when I had six holes left, I only needed three birdies. I thought I could do it, but a bogey and double-bogey kind of derailed me there at the end.

The defense of the golf course was back up -- the wind. It was much more difficult and hard to get the ball close. There were a lot more wayward drives, the wind just takes it off line. It's a lot different golf course than what we saw the first two days.

I loved it. The stress-free walk up 18 was incredible. It was a great feeling walking up there, knowing that I had the tournament in hand.

There's an old saying, 'Beware of the ailing golfer. And whenever he's complaining, we know we're in trouble.

Let's settle down about the Grand Slam talk. To hold what everybody calls the Tiger Slam, to hold all four majors at the same time, is incredible. That's just one of the most incredible feats in the game.

Not such a great idea. It backfired on me almost, and I was fortunate enough to hold (Howell) off. I'll go back to my regular-length driver and try and hit some more fairways.

I love it. It's very similar to Augusta. ... This course has very similar shot values and similar greens.

It was a fight for me to stay in the lead, given the way it started. I thought that was a success.

He has meant a lot to the game of golf and we're all pulling for him. We all want him to do better and recover.

I don't really want to trade next year. But I certainly enjoyed having the jacket put on me rather than putting it on someone else.

I've been working hard on the shots that are required over here. I also studied the course and how to play it. I love this tournament, I just haven't played well here in the past. It's disappointing to fall short here but it's also very encouraging to know that I'm able to contend in this championship.

I don't think there's any magic in four majors, there can only be four majors, like tennis. There are four tournaments that tend to stand out with history and challenge and strength of field and so forth. This is becoming one of them.

I had it going. The last seven holes did me in, but I'm still within striking distance. I think it's going to be a really interesting Sunday.

It's easy to give money. But to see what David, Kelly and Hal have been doing, donating their time, is truly amazing.

I thought Atlanta has always been a great place before Augusta two-hour drive away, similar course. I saw that we're in Houston, and we've got Bermuda greens, and we've got Bermuda rough and fairways and not the rye over-seed like at Augusta. So I probably won't end up playing the week before.

There are guys that are right there that are going to go out and make a lot of birdies, and it will be easy for them. They will have no pressure on them. It won't be ... anything like Sunday last year, where we're watching what each other is doing and trying to beat each other.

It could very easily be double-digit-over-par to win. If they make it remotely close to USGA standards, the course will be very close to unplayable.

It played right on the edge today. And if it gets any harder, which I'm sure it will, and any tougher as the week wears on, it's going to be almost impossible to shoot a round under par.

Understand, if you give anybody enough shots, they'll eventually beat you. I didn't want them to be intimidated. So I just hit a couple in the water to show them that it's OK. They relaxed and we had fun.

Tomorrow is a toss up. The International side is a very strong 12 players. They're extremely tough and playing extremely good golf. The American team is playing some exceptional golf as well.

The thing I'm most regretful about Jack not playing and Arnold not playing is that they used to be the guys that we would call first for a practice round. Those would be the guys that we would look to so we could see how to conduct ourselves and how to act like a professional and treat people right.

I'm actually going to go get a workout in, and try to build up some stamina for tomorrow.

When Roger first handed me the new X-Tour Wedge, I couldn't wait to test the spin. I knew the grooves were big in fact, I called them my 'Mack Daddy' grooves for their size. They delivered what I wanted -- max spin that equates to maximum control.

I would say it probably happened when I started to prepare better for tournaments. I started to play a little differently, control my ball flight, control my putting. I think it started with the win here in 2004.

There were times where it could have slid away a little bit, but I was able to keep it in check and come back with some birdies.

Historically, those players would have gone to Title ... another ball maker.

I think tomorrow is a toss-up. The International team is very strong, 12 of the best players in the game. They are extremely tough and are playing some extremely good golf. I feel the American team is playing exceptional golf, as well. I have faith in my team. But we have a lot of work ahead of us.

It has been a long day but a wonderful day. I will look back and cherish some of the shots and putts I was able to make. I was able to manage my misses and on the back nine I drove it as well as I ever have.

I drove it very well. ... It allowed me to be aggressive to some holes, to attack some pins, to give myself birdie opportunities. I just didn't take advantage of enough of those.

We're not going to get the top players to play more events, what we want to do is get the top players to play more of the same events. And I think that we're creeping up on that and getting maybe three or four additional tournaments where the top players will play - even if we continue playing maybe just the same number of events that we've played in years past.

He's played some great golf in majors, and he's won some big tournaments. He's just a tremendous player. Last year wasn't the year he wanted. He came back this year really hungry to play well, and he is. He's going to be really tough this weekend.

(He) said all we need is a half-point more than last time. He kind of looked at me and he said, 'You've just got to tie one match, man, come on.' After my performance, I want to come back with a strong one.

I do have Bermuda Dunes (today, which I think is the course that most people have been going low on. So I need to shoot 8 or 9-under par to really have a good run at it on Sunday.

The course is in great shape and the addition of the green rough is going to make it play more difficult. I think it will be harder to hit shots out of there. But it's set up just perfectly. It's great for the guys that came here to get ready for The Masters. I think it will be a great test.

I guess it is probably a credit to what a deep field this is and how deep the tour is as far as the quality of play.

I would not say it resembles the U.S. Open because the rough isn't rough -- it's first cut. But the penalty for a missed tee shot on a number of holes now is U.S. Open-type penalties.

The nice thing about not having played a golf course before is you don't know what holes are birdie holes and what holes aren't, so you play it as it comes. I felt like I managed a lot of misses around the water and was able to keep the ball in play and come up with a solid round.

The difference is that I felt that sense of relief after I broke through and won a major and I feel this great feeling of accomplishment. To come out on top, it's a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.

When I made the putt on 15, I felt like victory was in hand. That's when I felt it was mine to control.

There are a lot of guys out here on tour that are going through personal problems. It's almost a reprieve to have those four or five hours to yourself to go play golf, knowing that you have to redirect your thoughts to playing each shot. It affects you more off the course.

I can't criticize that because wife Amy has got pairs just like them.

Kenny just wanted me to hit iron down there, lay up and make par and win the amateur side of it. I'm kidding. He ended up making a double (net bogey).

It's what you dream about as a kid and what you work for as a pro. I ended up playing well and it will be a memory I cherish forever.

Four back, with two days to go, sure, I'll take it. A good, solid round today could put me close, then one more on Sunday.

The most important piece of equipment is the golf ball.

As professional golfers, we like to pride ourselves on the ability to block out things and focus in only on the shot at hand and only on the round. You're talking about not just the best player in the game, but the best at being able to do that, to block everything out. I don't think that it will be a factor in Tiger's game at all.