FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, October 1st, 2016

NOTABLE QUOTES: RYDER CUP – DAY 2 (AFTERNOON FOUR-BALL SESSION)

NBC Notable Quotes
Ryder Cup – Day 2 (Afternoon Four-ball Matches)
Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016
Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

**Final Day coverage of the 2016 Ryder Cup begins at Noon ET Sunday on NBC, with live coverage of the singles matches. The United States lead Europe (9 ½ – 6 ½) following Day 2.** 

Saturday Afternoon Four-Ball Matches
Match #1: Rory McIlroy / Thomas Pieters (EUR) def. Brooks Koepka / Dustin Johnson (U.S.) 3&1
Match #2: J.B. Holmes / Ryan Moore (U.S.) def. Danny Willett / Lee Westwood (EUR) 1up
Match #3: Phil Mickelson / Matt Kuchar (U.S.) def. Martin Kaymer / Sergio Garcia (EUR) 2&1
Match #4: Patrick Reed / Jordan Spieth (U.S.) def. Justin Rose / Henrik Stenson (EUR) 2&1

Rory McIlroy & Thomas Pieters speaking with NBC Sports’ Jimmy Roberts following their 3&1 win
Rory McIlroy – “It’s a tough environment for us to come in and play in, but we expect that… It fueled me a lot. The more they shouted, the better we played. So I hope they shout at us all day tomorrow.”
Thomas Pieters – “Obviously the heckling, it’s there. And like Rory said, it just pumps us up. So hopefully the same for tomorrow.”

On Pieters
Jerry Foltz – “If the Olympics weren’t his coming out party, I believe this week certainly is that.”

Phil Mickelson & Matt Kuchar speaking with NBC Sports’ Steve Sands following their 2&1 win
Matt Kuchar – “This was like playing with my big brother. It was such a thrill. I’ve seen [Phil] do it so much from the other side as a competitor, as a friend. But just seeing him go after it. And to watch him down the stretch, to go after it, he hit great shot after great shot. And I was so proud just to be alongside of him.”
Phil Mickelson – “[Matt] was the perfect medicine because he’s so funny. Cracking jokes and telling me stories and one liners and it got me laughing all throughout the day. And we just got in a nice flow on the back side. It was really a treat to play with him.”

On Phil Mickelson
Johnny Miller  – “Davis Love might be the captain, but Phil Mickelson is the power behind the throne, I can tell you that… He’s getting younger by the hole.”
Peter Jacobsen – “That guy is uncommon. The confidence, the execution. We’ve not seen many players like Phil Mickelson… It’s incredible to watch him at 46-years-old. Probably plays the most like Arnold Palmer of anybody I’ve seen. Always going for broke just like Arnold and coming up with the magic shot just at the right time.”

On Patrick Reed
Miller – “He hasn’t always been the most loved person as a young man and in college, but he’s tough and he’s the kind of guy you want on your team.”
Gary Koch – “That’s one of the attributes of a good match play player… You welcome the confrontation. I think there are players that shy away from it and I think they don’t thrive as much in this environment.”
Miller – “He just doesn’t miss many makeable putts when they mean a lot.”
Dan Hicks – “Born to play in the Ryder Cup, Patrick Reed.”
Mark Rolfing – “This Patrick Reed performance has just been colossal. He’s been magnificent… He has been spot on. Every part of his game.”

On the crowds at Hazeltine National Golf Club
Miller – “These roars make the Masters sound like the JC Penney Open.”
Hicks – “It is an entirely different decibel. It’s like a football stadium at every hole.”

-NBC Sports Group-