Round 3 Quotes: August 13, 2004

Fredrik Jacobson (2-under-par 70 to-move-to 4-under-par 212)
(on his round today) "I kept making a lot birdies like I have the first two days, but unfortunately a few too many mistakes. I started off with a bogey on the first and the same on the back nine; I started with a double there. But it was great to see us bounce back that well both times to make three quick birdies on both sides. I think that gave me a good chance for a good score today."

(on his play on No. 11) "I lost a shot on Thursday and I lost a shot yesterday and came off the double bogey today. I thought coming downwind today I would hit the driver a little bit harder to have a chance to reach it. I hit a good drive and tried to take it on and left it a bit short. But, I played a good pitch shot over the bunker and laid it back there. It's a tough hole. If you don't hit a good drive it's really tough."

(on his pressure level for Ryder Cup) "I've been playing good the last couple of years, and I might not have had the greatest summer. I haven't played a great deal, but I feel like my game is back on and as long as it's back on and I'm playing well I think it will take care of itself."

(on his satisfaction of play) "I'm pretty satisfied. I bounced back great a couple of times. I do wish I could have done something coming down the last few holes. But, I'm quite happy overall."

Brian Davis (3-under par 69 to move to 7-under par 210)
(on No. 11) "The actual visual suites me, it suites my shot. I'm happy on the tee; I've had a couple good tee shots up there. Today I just pulled it a little bit left and from there I was struggling."

(on his round and tomorrow) "I'm disappointed. I think the lead tomorrow is going to maybe be 12 or 13 (under-par). To make up that lead is make able but it will be tough to do."

(on the course) "The course is playing relatively easy to what it can play. I noticed the greens getting a little bit more firmer coming in and no doubt they will just sprinkle the greens tonight and it will be playing a lot tougher tomorrow."

Robert Allenby (even par 72, to-move-to 3-under-par 213)
(on his round today) "I played okay. I didn't play bad or anything like that. I hit solid, I just didn't do anything. I just didn't hit it close enough. I only made two birdies so that makes it tough."

(on the course) "There's some good flags out there, as is expected to be. You can't get a better scoring day than today. The greens are still fairly soft and you can fire at them, and they're tucked in some good little spots. You just have to get some good shots and come up close."

Jay Haas (1-under-par 71 to-move-to 5-under-par 211)
(on his round today) "I played very well again today. I hit a lot of good shots. Early on the scores were pretty good. One under, I'm not disappointed with that. I hit a lot of good shots, but it could have been a little bit better."

(on the course) "I think the greens are getting a little firmer. They're getting a little more creative with some of the cup placements, but it's a hard golf course. You've got to put it in the fairway and I did that a lot today. I hit a lot of good tee shots and had quite a few opportunities. I got about what I deserved I guess."

(on his thoughts for the Ryder Cup) "That's my job, I guess, to just go out and try to perform. I'm of the assumption that the better I play the more good things will happen to me - higher on the money list, higher in the tournament - all those things will come. I can't think, 'Well, this is do or die.' I just can't think that way. Every round to me is very important, and I guess for the PGA itself. I would think that I'm fairly close to being out of it now, being six behind and 11 guys in front of us. So, maybe realistically I can't think about winning, but I can sure give it a try and that's kind of my goal. I'll just try to finish as high as I can."

Briny Baird (3-over-par, 75, to-move-to 5-under-par, 211) (on his performance on No. 17) "I hit it left. It's as simple as that. You can't hit it left. You have all the way to the clubhouse right, if you want, and you're probably not going to make any worse than four. Three putts was bad, but I could have been down there a lot longer than that."

(on his performance on No. 16) "I felt like I hit a pretty decent shot off the tee. I was a little surprised that it went left. But, I had plenty of time. If I wanted to back off I could have backed off. You can't use an excuse. If it messed me up on one shot it sure didn't affect the other five."

(on his round) "I felt good, I really did. I hit one bad shot. The shot on 18 wasn't a real good 4-iron, I don't know what it looked like on TV, but it was probably within a yard of carrying. Before that I hit a lot of quality shots and made a few putts. I had a couple of good opportunities."

(on his performance on 17) "I hit two bad tee shots there Thursday and Friday right. I committed to a line that was left. I was going to work one off of the water and stuck to the lay I was playing today. I was hitting solid shots and wasn't going to aim, or change my thinking or anything just because there was trouble left. I felt really confident that I could peel one off there and still keep it left of that hole. I don't look back and say that I made a mistake. I pulled it just a touch and anytime you pull it it's magnified by the ball turning left instead of falling right. You're talking about eight yards. It was a solid shot, it wasn't a bad shot. The shot on 18 was worse."

(on his second shot in the bunker on 17) "It was tough. I was just as worried about hitting one into the gallery, believe it or not, over, by catching it thin as I was about not being able to hit it like a normal bunker shot and carry it. Like I said, I could have been down there longer. They decided to mark the hazard play low, which was smart, because we've got to play it out of there. That was well done on their part, we knew it all week."

(on whether he had been in that area during practice) "Yeah, I hit it down there, so I did. I played one out of there with Dudley in the practice round. It's no good. We knew it. I knew I wasn't going to have a chance to go for the pin. If you get lucky, you can get out in one and you got to get lucky."

(on his perception of play) I didn't feel all that good early in the day, a little unsure of where some of the shots were going to go. Attribute that to nerves possibly, but I worked pretty hard yesterday on the range when I got done trying to figure something out to continue playing the next two days. I felt solid. If I can just get the putts to the hole, they're on a really good line, I seem to be striking it somewhat solid. As the day went on I started hitting some more solid shots. I said, 'You can put yourself in a position where they're going to have to come catch you,' and that's actually how I felt. I felt like I was playing good enough to continue to make birdie."

Brad Faxon (2-under-par 70 to move to 4-under-par 212)
(on his play this week) "Something's happened the last few days. I felt pretty good this week. Other than the first outing I think I've driven it pretty well and I've just played pretty solid. I've hit some good shots, some good iron shots. I don't think I could be much worse than I am. I've hit some very good putts but they've been all around the hole; I think I could be a few shots better. I feel like I got a low round in there."

(on the conditions and pin placement) "I think if you hit it in the fairway here, the targets are big enough and the conditions are so good that you can stop the ball when it hits the green. The pins are on a little bit more of a side slope today. There's a little bit more break around the cup. Hopefully, the wind will come up and make it interesting tomorrow."

Adam Scott (3-under-par 69 to move to 5-under-par 211)
(on today's pin placement) "They set it up good today, putting the pins where they did, because there's no wind. You've got to hit it in the fairway to get close, that's the way it should be."

(on his performance today) "I really left a lot out there, I played really well today. From the sixth hole on in I just really couldn't get it happening."

(on playing strategy) "I think you can be aggressive and go at it. The greens are still soft enough, that you can be aggressive at the flags, but you have to come from the fairway, that's the only thing. You can play it aggressive. I'd think Mickelson is probably playing pretty aggressive out there, and he's making a few putts. I expect someone will do that tomorrow as well, someone always does."

Rod Pampling (2-under-par 70 to move to 4-under-par 212)
(on his satisfaction with his 2-under round today) "I left a few out there. I just need to make a few more putts, just to get in close to the leaders, for tomorrow. But, if it [the wind] blows hard tomorrow maybe that's a good thing if you shoot 3 or 4-under it'll really move you up. So, we'll just try and get some more putts going tomorrow."

(on the course set-up) "The course was set-up great, you know. The weather made it a lot easier out there. I just didn't make enough putts to challenge the leaders, so I need a lot of them tomorrow."

(on the low scores) "The course is playing pretty easy, because there's no wind. Obviously, the big defense of the golf course is the wind, because it's [the greens] not really firm. So, we can shot at the pins pretty much, maybe not every pin but it's certainly making it a lot easier today for scoring."

Luke Donald (1-under-par 71 to move to 5-under-par 211)
(on his round today) "I didn't really like the finish. Obviously, on 17, I was glad to make a four...I was in a bunker and it was a very flat lie. There was no way I could get the elevation to go straight at the pin, so I decided to go right, I got a pretty good up and down. And then on 18, well I had two good shots, but the sun was a little bit in my eyes on that putt and I just misjudged the speed and just didn't make it."

(on his "would be" eagle on 16) "I thought that was in. Then that goes to eight and I finish with a couple pars and I'm right there, but it's not the finish I wanted."

(on his strategy for tomorrow) "Well, I've been pretty aggressive this week. I don't think I've been overly cautious, so my plan is just to keep doing what I'm doing. I played pretty nicely today. It's a shame about the finish, but I'm still hitting the ball well and I think I have a good chance to shoot some pretty good numbers tomorrow."

Chris Riley (3-under-par 69 to move to 8-under-par 208)
(on his putting today) "Yeah, I'm putting good. The scary thing is I missed a couple."

(on No. 17) "I did hit a great iron off the tee - I mean, that's a tough hole. I hit it about 40 feet right of the hole. I saw all those people up there and I thought, 'I'm gonna make them yell', so it was pretty cool."

(on No. 18) "You know what, I think I should have hit driver off the tee, but instead I hit a 3 wood and I left myself way too far back for a good second shot. I salvaged my round, and I'm ready for tomorrow. You don't want to bogey a hole going into the last hole."

(on his strategy for tomorrow) "Yeah. I'm just trying to win tomorrow, not really think about the Ryder Cup. I'm just going to try to do the best I can and get it done. You know, I've been out here six years and I think it's my time."

(on his putting) "I had a lot of good looks and hit a lot of good shots. On seven and eight I hit it within 10 feet and those are some good holes and I didn't make those putts. I kind of felt like I let a couple go. I told my caddy that it all evens out in the end anyways. You miss a couple here and then you make a couple there."

Ernie Els (even par 72, to remain at eight-under-par 208)
(on today's round) "I just couldn't get it quite on target today. I struggled a little bit off the tee and it ended up costing me. I know I can hit it a lot better than the way I played today."

(on tomorrow's round) "I have to play better. I have to play as good as I can and remember that there is a lot of golf left. I have to believe that I still have a chance. I'm four behind, which is quite a few shots to make up but on 17 and so on, you can make up quite a few shots in a hurry. The toughest thing is just staying patient. I just have to try to hang in there somehow and cough up some kind of a round. I need to shoot in the 60's tomorrow."

(on tomorrow) "You need a good start. We'll see how the wind blows tomorrow. It might be blowing into us tomorrow, which would mean that it might play a little bit tougher. If I can hit it in play, I feel that I can get a score going. We'll just see how it goes tomorrow. You obviously need a solid start tomorrow. I've had a lot of experience playing the final round close to the lead. I have to go out there and play a good round of golf. I have to play the way I did at Augusta or at the Open. If I do that, then I might have a chance. It's been an awkward year so far, but maybe it will go my way tomorrow."

(on possibly playing with Phil Mickelson tomorrow) "It would be a good pairing. He's obviously having a great year and I like the way he plays. He plays aggressively like myself. Maybe we can play together and get it going. It could be a fun day."

Darren Clarke (even par 72 to remain at eight-under-par 208)
(on his shank) "I have no idea where that came from. It was completely out of the blue. I was hitting great shots and that was just one that came out of the blue. I was hitting a 4-iron and hit as good of a shank as you can see. It was one to be proud of. I actually had one earlier this year at a tournament in Scotland."

(on tomorrow) "I think I'm four back now, so I just need to get off to a very fast start tomorrow to have any chance at all. We've seen some very good scores this week, but I'm just going to have to go out and play very well tomorrow."

(on the course) "The course was playing tougher today. Fifteen was a 518 yard par 4. Eighteen is always hard with the pin position and tomorrow it will be even tougher. I think that a lot of things could happen tomorrow afternoon."

(on being in third place going into the final round) "I've only been in this position a couple times, but the biggest thing is to get out of your own way and just go out and play. It's all about playing your own game and forgetting about what tournament you're playing in and what you're trying to do."

(about the gallery singing Happy Birthday to him) "It was fantastic. I had it all day, all the way around. It definitely made the shank go down a little easier."

Stephen Ames (3-under-par 69 to move to 8-under-par 208)
(on his round today) "I was very happy with my round today. The golf course played a little easier today. For some reason, the golf ball seemed to be going a little farther for me. It was a bit of a struggle today with my shorter clubs. Overall, I was very happy with the way I played and putted."

(on being in third place going into tomorrow) "At this stage, I have never been in this position before. I am very happy to be in the position I am in. I just need to learn from this experience right now."

(on playing with Chris Riley) "The pairing with Chris has been great. We've had a lot of fun. Hopefully we'll play together again tomorrow."

(on preparing for tomorrow) "Tonight I'll just go home, relax and have some family time. Tomorrow I'll do the same routine as I did today, come out two hours before, workout, stretch, and hit balls."

(on his swing and confidence) "I've been confident about certain situations. This week, I wasn't confident because of my golf swing. Now, I've kind of fixed it to where I feel comfortable. I'm trying to make myself get over the ball feeling comfortable. If I'm not, then I'll back off and then start again. Those are the things I've been working on for the last two days."

Steve Flesch (5-under-par 67 to move to 4-under-par 212)
(on making the Ryder Cup team) "Obviously I think everybody would rather make it on points, but there's a couple of guys who could knock me out. I just want captain Hal (Sutton) to know that I'm going to go away kicking and screaming. He can make his own decisions, but I'm doing the best I can to make it on my own."

(on his round) "Well, playing as early as we did we didn't have much in terms of wind or anything to deal with and the greens are perfect. The greens are still soft and the course is playing longer now, but you can still shoot good scores if you drive in the fairway out there. I just took advantage of that."

(on the confidence in his game) "I wish I could say it's been better, but the last two months I haven't played particularly well since the U.S. Open. But, it shows signs of coming around at times, today being one of them. I'm still playing well, and I just want to play well tomorrow and hopefully get in that top 10."

(on the golf course and where other players this afternoon might attack) "The par 5s obviously. I'm not one of the longest hitters out here, so I can't really go for many of them. But, some of those big dogs at the top are going to be able to go at them. I birdied 3 of the 4 of them today, so obviosuly if you can take advantage of the 5s. Some of the 4s are playing pretty short without the prevailing winds. The main thing is the fact that the greens are still very soft and receptive to shots. So, that's why I think you're still seeing good numbers out here."

(on strategy for tomorrow) "I have to play aggressively, just like I did today. I kind of was plodding my way along the first couple of days to keep it in play. I made a couple of untimely mistakes and was fortunate to make the cut on the numbers. So, today I just pretty much hit driver everywhere and tried to take advantage of the golf course a little bit, since the conditions were right for it. So, I have to play aggressively. It's not going to do me any good to shoot even par tomorrow. So, I have to play aggressively and see what happens."

Roy Biancalana (4-over-par 76 to move to 5-over-par 221)
(on playing alone) "I really didn't like that too much. I had a marker play with me, a good guy. It was kind of funny; I was the last one to putt out last night, and the first one to hit it this morning. I should have just slept here. It felt like a quick turn-around. I got a decent amount of rest, so hopefully I get out of the cellar, but I don't know with a 75."

(on the course) "The greens are a bit faster today. You are going to see a course record today. It's out there, oh man, it's out there. There aren't going to be many guys who are going to shoot as high as I did today, because I let it get away from me today. It's calm and a lot of the pins are pretty susceptible. Although the wind is starting to change directions now, completely turning around."

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