Golf Channel Notable Quotes
The 145TH Open – Round 1
Thursday, July 14 (10 a.m.-2:15 p.m. ET)
Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Scotland
** Live Round 1 coverage of The 145TH Open continues on Golf Channel until the final group (4:16 p.m. BST tee time) concludes its round. Golf Central Live From The Open will immediately follow, and live Round 2 coverage of The 145TH Open begins Friday at 1:30 a.m. ET (10:30 p.m. PT).**
Phil Mickelson (8-under, 1st) speaking with Steve Sands following his round of 63
Phil Mickelson – “I felt like it was kind of easy, like I didn’t try to do too much. I just kind of kept the ball in play, and hit good shots and made some putts. I didn’t feel like I was overworking… I knew walking up 17 if I could make [the putt] I’ve got a shot at the lowest round in a major. That 17th hole is a really hard par-3 and I hit one of the best 4 irons to have that putt at it and to see that ball go in.”
On lipping-out for birdie on 18, which would have marked the first-ever 62 in a men’s major championship
Mickelson – “It started on my line and it was right in the center of the hole with a foot to go. It breaks to the left and then it straightens out, and it went back to the right a little bit harder. [I] saw these highlights [from his round] and yet I feel like crying. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how that ball missed because it was perfect speed in the center with a foot to go… As great a round as this was… I’m not going to have a chance to do something historical like that [again] most likely. Maybe if I’m lucky, one other time. That was a chance to do something historical right there. At least I could have hit a big old flail and not even had a chance, but that ball was right in the center. It’s heartbreaking.”
On Phil Mickelson (8-under, 1st)
Johnny Miller – “He’s just striping it down his eyeline [off the tee]. This is as good as I’ve seen Phil hit it and putt it in a round – maybe it’d be in the top-5 of his career. It just looks so effortless.”
Nick Faldo – “His scorecard is ridiculous isn’t it? He’s picked the perfect day for it. Isn’t that great? After all that he’s achieved in his career, that has just hit him so hard.”
Gary Koch – “I think changing instructors last fall really played a large part. I think finding someone else to work with – left Butch Harmon, now working with Andrew Getson – sometimes you need something like that. A change to kind of create some enthusiasm.”
Terry Gannon – Mickelson making a Thursday feel like a Sunday here at The Open. It’s almost like he can’t help himself. He does extraordinary things, at both ends of the spectrum.”
Zach Johnson (4-under, T-4th) speaking with Sands following his round
Zach Johnson – “You’re playing your practice rounds and it was not like this. When the conditions are benign… You’re talking about the best players in the world right now on a golf course that has very little wind. You can get it today. That being said, [Mickelson’s 63] is still really, really solid. That’s really low.”
On the advantage for the late wave of players in Round 1
Miller – “These guys played the front nine downwind a little bit and right-to-left. The wind [then] switched from the southwest and they played their back nine without going into the wind. That’s a heck of a break.”
Koch – “The guys who shot 2 or 3-under this morning probably thought that they played pretty well, but they’re finding themselves down the leaderboard.”
On the par-3 8th “Postage Stamp” hole
David Feherty – “It’s like trying to make it stop on a vile pimple. It’s really nice to see a tiny little hole like this on a Championship golf course because it induces a different kind of terror. There’s the fear of missing the green, but there’s a fear of looking like a complete idiot as well.”
-NBC Sports Group-