Associated Press
Tiger shot a 2-under-par 68 in the third round, his best round so far.
Q. Happy with the content of the round?
TIGER WOODS: Content with the ball-striking, yes. I didn't make any putts. In fact, I didn't make any. I made a putt on 3, and that was about it.
I hit it, as all week, I hit it a lot better than my scoring indicates. Unfortunately, I just haven't made the putts this week, and consequently, I'm, as of right now, 10 back.
Q. With the way the course is playing, a lot of guys have ground to make up...
TIGER WOODS: It's one of those where you have to play a great round of golf and get some help. Obviously, it's not totally in my control. Only thing I can control is whether I can play a good game or not.
Q. What do you remember about playing with Ricky Barnes back in the day at the Masters when he was kind of coming out? Obviously, everybody is going to be chasing him. That was a while ago. Are you surprised that it's taken him that long?
TIGER WOODS: I think it's just like anything. Sometimes it's a little bit more difficult to get out here than people think
You know, you can hit it far, you can hit it long, you can do all these different things, but you've got to be so consistent day-in and day-out. That's one of the things I think he's ... one of the reasons why he's changed his game and one of the reasons why I think you've seen him score much better now.
And he earned his way out here. He played the entire TOUR on Nationwide to get out here. It's not like he qualified and got in, luck by chance and made his way that way.
He earned his way out here on TOUR, and he's certainly developed a lot as a player.
Q. The starts, the stops, the overlap on rounds, is that harder for you physically or mentally?
TIGER WOODS: I think more mentally. Physically, you're fine. You can get back up. That's not a problem. You have plenty of time.
You know, it's just gearing up, gearing down, gearing up, gearing down. Like I said this morning, you get up in the morning, you kind of think, yeah, I know I've got to get ready a little bit, mentally, to get focused and get ready to go, just in case, and you call in, and say, oh, are we playing or not playing.
So they didn't make the decision until a little bit later, so I got up early and got ready and got warmed up, and then had to shut it back down again, get some rest, and then get back up again and get ready for this, I guess would be my second session today.
Q. Did you know what round you were playing?
TIGER WOODS: We can't even remember what day we're playing. It just all blurs together
Q. Do you ever eat dinner and go out and play a round before?
TIGER WOODS: We have done that quite a few times on TOUR. Unfortunately we have.
Q.: What do you to do kill time?
TIGER WOODS: Depends. The other day we were just here chitchatting, a bunch of guys. That's about it.
Depends on what half the draw you're on. The other half of the draw was at home [on Thursday]. We've been out here. So, luckily, we are all out here today and get some rest, I guess real quick, get a bite to eat, get refocused and get going.
Q. What would you think if there's a 271 shot here, the lowest [72-hole score at the U.S. Open]? Do you think it would supersede 272 at Pebble Beach, par 71?
TIGER WOODS: Don't forget, this is a different golf course than what we have been preparing for. It's soft. I mean, I hit a 4-iron today that was about head-high on 7 that only went about 10 feet on the green. I don't think I've ever seen that in a U.S. Open before.
It's just different. It's more like what we face week-in and week-out. Certainly not the U.S. Open. But you know, it's the conditions. You have to adapt and be more aggressive, and look at the guys, what they are doing. There are a bunch of 64s, 63s. What else was there today, this week? A couple 65s. The guys are just tearing the place apart.
Q. What was your reaction to the fans last night, a pretty vocal group?
TIGER WOODS: Well, they had a little bit to sip, I think. They had plenty of time in that rain delay. And I think they took full advantage of it.
Q. Did that distract you or do you enjoy that?
TIGER WOODS: They are fine. They are fine. As long as they can get you all excited like that, it just is fine, just as long as you don't yell when we are swinging, which the fans haven't been. I mean, they have been great.
They have been very courteous of us playing and very respectful, and been very vocal, obviously, and very excited, but also very respectful at the same time.
Q. The shot that you had to choke down, basically, on the middle of the club, did you have any shot when you were bouncing out of the trap?
TIGER WOODS: The lie wasn't very good. If I had a decent lie like I did on the second time, my second attempt, then it wasn't so bad. But the problem is with that lie, I had to make a much bigger swing, but having the shaft that short, I really couldn't make that big of a swing.
Q. Is it especially frustrating, you mentioned that there were 64s, 65s out there, is it frustrating to know that the score is out there and you have not been able to get to it?
TIGER WOODS: I have hit the ball well enough to do it but just haven't made the putts. Today I was in within 15 feet a lot but just did not have the putts to go in. I've been lipping it out, burning the edges and just haven't gotten it right yet.