Mickelson's Post Final Round Comments

From ASAP:

Q. Talk about the disappointment that you must be feeling.

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I still am in shock that I did that. I just can't believe that I did that. I am such an idiot. I just couldn't hit a fairway all day. I just couldn't hit a fairway all day.

I tried to go to my bread and butter shot, a baby carve slice on 18 and just get it in the fairway, and I missed it left. It was still okay, wasn't too bad. I just can't believe I couldn't par the last hole. It really stings.

As a kid I dreamt of winning this tournament. I came out here and worked hard all four days, haven't made a bogey all week and then bogeyed the last hole. Even a bogey would have gotten me into a playoff. I just can't believe I did that.

Q. What happened on the second shot? What was your lie like?

PHIL MICKELSON: I had a good lie. I had to hit a big carving slice around the tree and over cut it, just like I over cut the tee shot and some of the other shots. Obviously, in hindsight, if I hit it in the gallery and it doesn't cut, I am fine. I can still make bogey, even par. I ended up hitting the tree.

Q. You were trying to go around the tree, not over it?

PHIL MICKELSON: Around, yeah.

Q. When it didn't clear, what ran through your mind when you didn't do that?

PHIL MICKELSON: Again, I just couldn't believe it.

Q. Was there something that was right in your eye?

PHIL MICKELSON: I was far enough back where I could move it around and get it up on the green, or certainly by it. I had a nice lie and just over cut it, just cut too quick right in the tree.

And you have to love his honesty...

Q. The second shot on 18, how close was that to being a perfect shot, maybe a foot or two?

PHIL MICKELSON: No, it wasn't that close. It over cut quite a bit. It had to go through it. Instead it hit a branch and went right back at me.

And this could get the award for most ridiculous question:

Q. About the Open, you weren't the only one who had trouble coming down the stretch. Colin double bogeyed the last hole, as well. What is it about the Open that creates such anxiety with you guys?

If I'm Phil, I just say sayonara at that point. He's a Saint for continuing...

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's a hard test of golf. I mean, it's just hard. Fairways are tight, they're brick hard. I hit two good 4 irons right in the middle of the fairway, on 15, on 11. Neither one stayed in the fairway. I mean, they were perfect 4 irons in the middle of the fairway. It's just hard to hit fairways here, and I made it look extremely difficult.

Q. We know that every U.S. Open course pinches the fairways and grows the rough. Do you feel that Winged Foot may be our toughest U.S. Open venue because of the severe contours of the greens?

PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know why it has played out as the toughest venue, but it certainly is the toughest U.S. Open venue we play, and the scores certainly reflect that.