FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, February 27th, 2016
NOTABLE QUOTES: THE HONDA CLASSIC, SATURDAY’S THIRD ROUND (GARCIA AND SCOTT TIED FOR LEAD AT 9-UNDER)
NBC Notable Quotes
The Honda Classic
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, Third Round
PGA National Resort & Spa (Champion Course)
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Third round co-leader Adam Scott (9-under par, third round 66) speaking with NBC’s Steve Sands about his quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 15th
Adam Scott – “I was trying to get a ball dry, for a start. I eventually did on my fifth. I hit a good putt that missed and unfortunately that was a 7, but that’s what this course is all about isn’t it. It is going to reward really great shots and severely punish ones that are just off, especially as you come around the Bear Trap. It got me today so hopefully that is out of the way and I can do a little better tomorrow.”
Third round co-leader Sergio Garcia (9-under par, third round 67) speaking with NBC’s Roger Maltbie about the Bear Trap
Sergio Garcia – “They were playing tough today. 15 was pretty much straight in, maybe a touch to the left. 16 was a lot into the wind and 17 was left to right. I think the main thing is you try to commit to the shot you want to hit. Depends on how aggressive or non-aggressive you want to be and just try to commit to that. That is what I tried to do on all three shots.”
On Scott making a quadruple-bogey 7 on No. 15
Johnny Miller – “Two huge errors for a veteran player. Just crazy errors.”
Miller – “It’s hard to watch. We were enjoying his perfection all day until here.”
Roger Maltbie – “It is just that kind of a hole. He had such a special day going and then you make a mistake or two.”
Peter Jacobsen – “This is just one of those holes that we see in golf. The one that pops in to my mind is the 17th at TPC Sawgrass at The Players Championship. It’s just terrifying.”
On Scott’s birdie on 17 to move him to 9-under par
Gary Koch – “That will get your confidence back.”
Miller – “Got to be the best shot he hit all day, even after what he has gone through in the last 40 minutes.”
Koch – “What a comeback. His first career birdie in the Bear Trap in nine rounds, and what a time for it to come.”
On Sergio Garcia, tied for the lead at 9-under after a third-round 67
Dan Hicks – “So back and forth they went. Up and down they went. Tale of two nines and in the end Garcia lands at 9-under.”
Miller – “On the season he is 211th in strokes gained putting, but not this week. He has found something this week.”
Miller – “Beautiful shots that he hits with his irons. Just pure.”
On the third-round final pairing of Rickie Fowler (T4 at 4-under, third round 74) and Jimmy Walker (T32 at +2, third round 79)
Hicks – “No mojo in that final group today.”
David Feherty – “I’m not sure what effect I’m having on these two. I wouldn’t trust either of them to play the radio.”
Hicks – “This is shocking what has happened here with the final group.”
On Fowler
Miller – “As great as his attitude has been most of the round, it has finally wore him out. He’s worn out. Nothing went right.”
On The Honda Classic
Hicks – “This has to be the PGA TOUR’s comeback tournament of the last 10 years. It is amazing how we’ve seen this tournament grow in such a short span.”
Miller – “When it came here to the Champion Course, the players started falling in love with it. It is an amazing course, par 70 and very difficult to get to double digits. Only a few guys have done it. It is almost like playing a major championship.”
Miller – “A lot of drama for a Saturday. We have a great leaderboard. All players that everyone knows about. We’ve watched them struggle and do good things too.”
On the 14th hole
Miller – “This should definitely be added to the Bear Trap to represent the four paws of the Bear because this is the hardest hole on the golf course.”
-NBC Sports Group-
