FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, July 16th, 2016

NOTABLE QUOTES: THE 145TH OPEN – ROUND 3 (NBC)

Golf Channel on NBC Notable Quotes
The 145TH Open – Round 3
Saturday, July 16
Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Scotland

** Golf Central Live From The Open begins now on Golf Channel. Live Final Round coverage of The 145TH Open will begin Sunday on Golf Channel, airing from 4-7 a.m. ET, and continue on NBC from 7 a.m. ET through the conclusion of play.**

Henrik Stenson (12-under, 1st) speaking with Golf Channel on NBC’s Steve Sands following his round
Henrik Stenson – “Unless someone goes out there and posts a silly number of the players that are 3, 4, 5-under par. Then it would need that we come back as well to the field. But as of now I would pretty much think it’s a battle of Phil and myself. I know he never backs down and he’s one of the best players to play the game. I’m just going to try my hardest to keep him behind.”

Stenson – “I got off to a flying start, I played really solid the first five holes… I think one of the key moments was that long par putt I made on 10 when it was kind of going in the wrong direction.”

Phil Mickelson (11-under, 2nd) speaking with Sands following his round
Phil Mickelson – “I hit enough good shots on the back to play a difficult nine holes at even par. And I fought hard on the holes that I didn’t quite have it to make pars. [I] shot under par on a very difficult day. It could have very easily gotten away from me the way that I was a little bit out of sync, and yet I found a way to hang in there.”

Mickelson – “Sometimes it’s easy like the first two days when everything is in rhythm and the ball is going straight and you’re in the fairway. And sometimes you have days like this. But just get it in the hole, doesn’t matter how.”

On Mickelson and Stenson separating themselves from the field
Johnny Miller – “They might have their own little Championship. It’s good, perfect theater for tomorrow. [These are] guys that are in the twilight of their career you would think. Not the case though.”
David Feherty – “It’s early yet, but this is kind of turning into a chess match. Or maybe checkers is closer to it.”
Gary Koch – “You see why these guys are at the top of the leaderboard. Good short games, saving strokes.”
Feherty – “This is some kind of golf these two guys have been playing. Every single shot whether it’s been downwind, crosswind, into the wind has just been hard today. No let up.”
Feherty – “We’re watching two of the strongest men in the game right now. It just sets up for such an exciting day tomorrow.”

On Stenson
Miller – “Stenson has been amazing of getting it up and in all day. He’s got a lot of pressure on him not only to win his first major for himself, but the first Swede male to win a major. I think he’s prepared for it though.”
Koch – “He’s the best iron player on the PGA TOUR and I think that will serve him very well tomorrow… He compresses the ball unlike very few players with their irons.”
Miller – “About any other year shooting the scores that Stenson has shot – which is amazing –  he’d probably have a four shot lead. But Mickelson’s [negates that with his] 63.”

On Mickelson
Miller – “His ability to get the most out of every hole is what makes him such a great champion.”
Roger Maltbie – “He’s really maxed out this round with the exception of [hole] 14.”
Miller – “He could have had a real bad run [in the middle of his round] if he was a normal mortal.”

On Royal Troon’s back nine
Miller – “The back nine just makes you look bad. If you’re not really on your game the back nine is amazingly difficult.”

-NBC Sports Group-