Campbell, Couples and Mickelson talk about Day 2 of the Masters

(April 8, 2006) - Day two of the Masters saw Chad Campbell take a three-shot lead after firing a 67. Campbell entered third-round play at 6 under.

Fred Couples, Vijay Singh and Rocco Mediate were sitting at three under, while Phil Mickelson led a group at 2 under. Defending champion Tiger Woods was five shots back of the lead at 1 under.

Here's what Campbell, Couples and Mickelson had to say after a tough and exciting second round at Augusta National:

Chad Campbell

Q. Talk about your impressions when you saw that Vijay went double-double to give you that lead right now.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Well, I just noticed it right now. You know I wasn't really paying that much attention. I think I was on 18 when he actually was -- 17 or 18 when he was doing that.

You know, it's special to be leading after two rounds.

Obviously my goal is to be leading after four rounds, but it's a good start and hopefully I'll have a good weekend. This is a special place and a special tournament. Glad to be a part of it and glad to be playing well.

Q. When is the last time you hit your irons this good? It was fairly easy for you, if it could be easy out there, no?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I don't know. I wouldn't say easy, but, yeah, I felt like I was hitting a lot of good shots. Probably first of the year, Hawaii and Palm Springs, I felt like I was hitting them pretty good there. I think if anything, probably a little bit better now.

Q. Have you had time to call anybody, your brother, friends, and be like, "Dude, I'm leading The Masters"? (Laughter)?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Not yet. I probably won't take any phone calls. My brother is here with me.

Q. It's been a while, you lost at the PGA; what does it mean to get back, even if it is two rounds into it, and be in contention at yet another major?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I mean, it's great. When I arrived here, that was my goal is to win the golf tournament. So that's what I'm looking for. We're only halfway through, but I'd rather be where I'm at now. You know, obviously the round is not true. Somebody could make up a lot of ground and pass me, I'm sure. There's some red numbers up there.

Q. As a Texas guy, what did you think of Ben Crenshaw being up there and then can you take us through your three birdies?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I think it's great. You know, Ben, he's obviously playing well, he obviously knows his way around the course. He's had a lot of success here. You know, one of the best putters ever. I was talking earlier about putting around here, so I don't think there's much better than him.

Fred Couples

Q: Freddie, would you like to make a few remarks and we'll open the floor for questions.

FRED COUPLES: Well, it was a tough course today. I'm sure everyone is telling you that. Basically, you know, when I teed off at 1:45, the wind had started to pick up fairly nicely. You know, it was just tough. It wasn't really so hard to play the course, but it was tough to get the ball close. The front nine, I got it around pretty well with some very, very good par putts. I didn't play that well. And then the back nine, I started to hit the ball a little better. Birdied 12 which was a huge, huge birdie just to hit it on that green, and then birdied 14. Then stood up there on 15, a mile down the fairway and, you know, had a 4 iron out, talked with Joe a little bit, took a 5 iron out and actually smoked it going right at the flag. I thought it was going to be a shot that would hit up on the green and stay on the back, and it just came up short. That was a huge, huge not a mistake, just a little letdown because I hit such a good shot and I just misclubbed.

Turned around, birdied 17, parred 18. So it was a good round, and I look forward to playing tomorrow. It will be tough again, unless we get rain to soften it up. And if we don't, it's windy, I don't know if 2 or 3 under might not win.

Q. Does this course and this event seem to bring out the best in you?

FRED COUPLES: Well, I think it's setup for my game. You know, it's set up for a lot of guys, but when I come here, I feel very good on the course. I feel like I'm a very good lag putter, and you have to do that here. My eye catches the slopes pretty well. I'm sure if you watched Ben today, I'm sure he did some miraculous things. I think that just comes from doing it for 30 years. And the speed and the wind, it's all difficult stuff to wind.

As far as standing on the tee, you have to make good swings, you have to hit good shots. But around the greens, even though I'm not an incredibly good putter, I feel pretty safe on these greens. You just can't put yourself in a spot where you physically can't two-putt it.

Phil Mickelson

Q. How good a round could this have been with the putts?

PHIL MICKELSON: It could have been good. I left some shots out there. But the way I look at it is I'm in a good position heading into the weekend. It was a day that was tough. There were times where the round could have got away a little bit. When I hit a good shot on 11 and it went in the water, I ended up getting up-and-down for bogey. There were times where it could have slid away a little bit but I was able to keep it in check and come back with some birdies. So to be within four shots, be within striking distance, I'm excited about that and I'm looking forward to the weekend.

Q. Overall, when is the last time it was this dry, this tricky, wind-wise and how would you compare yesterday to today wind-wise?

PHIL MICKELSON: I remember it was really hard the year Vijay won in 2000. I think it was really windy the first day or two and ironically he's up on the leader board again. That's probably the last time that I remember it being so difficult.

Q. Do you miss the old Augusta where people were more aggressive as opposed to it seems like we hear a lot of players talk about being defensive.

PHIL MICKELSON: know, I try to prepare to win the tournament or to be in contention, and whatever the course is, however it's set up, however it's been changed, I just try to accommodate and play to that to win on this golf course. Maybe later in my career when I stop playing or stop playing competitively and look back and say, I liked it better when it was this, or I liked it better when it was that. But it's irrelevant to me right now. All I care about is trying to play whatever course is presented this particular year.

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