2013 U.S. Open: Sergio Garcia says Philly fans 'were very nice'

Sergio Garcia spoke with the media after finishing 3-over par following the first round of the U.S. Open at Merion on Thursday. Here is the transcript:

Pretty good golf other than those two holes.

Yeah, unfortunately two really bad holes. But it's the way it is. The U.S. Open doesn't give you much room.

And 14, I slipped and obviously out of bounds and then I hit a bad tee shot on the next and went out of bounds.

So it's one of those things. I guess I was just making my week a little bit tougher, but I tried to battle as much as I could coming in and I was able to shoot a decent score after being 7 over through 8, I guess.

To be able to get out of trouble on a golf course like this, can you walk away from the round feeling confident that you're able to get your self out of trouble in terms of scoring?

Well, I wasn't really able to get out of trouble because I made a 6 and an 8. I was able to make a nice recovery, I guess, so that was nice. But obviously I put myself in a tough situation.

There were some wise cracks, how did that affect you?

Wise cracks? What do you mean by that?

Heckles.

No, I think there were a couple here and there, but there was I felt the people were very nice for the whole day. I think that they almost all of them were behind me and that was nice to see.

Could you go through 14 and 15 and exactly what happened there?

Well, 14, I slipped, I hit a 3 wood off the tee, slipped, obviously hit it duck hook like a pull hook and went out of bounds.

Hit another, good 3 wood, 7 iron to about 16 feet and managed to 2 putt for par or well sorry, par with the second ball.

(Laughter.)

Then on the next, I hit adjust a terrible tee shot with 3 wood, pulled it left and hit it out of bounds. And then I hit a good, decent second one to the fairway feeling down a little bit, I guess. Didn't hit the best of irons. Then I thinned it on the green from the bunker. Hit a great chip, actually a very, very good chip from the lie I had. And unfortunately I couldn't make my, I don't know, 8, 9 footer for 7.

Talk about those four, those 14th through 18th holes. That's supposed to be the toughest stretch on the course?

It was tough. For me it was very tough.

Have you gotten a response from the note you put in the locker?

No, I haven't really seen him so...

Was there a hole that kind of got you going again? Was there a shot or a hole?

I don't know, obviously the birdie on 1 was nice.

The eagle on 2 helped a lot.

But then hit a couple bad shots again, but I was able to hit some good ones. Made a couple nice putts. So I don't know, it was a pretty flat round for most of the day, I guess.

What was the details on the eagle?

I hit a really good drive and I hit a 3 wood, the wind was a little bit into the left. It looks like it's coming again from there, from 272, and probably hit it about, I want to say, about 16 feet or so. And then a little right to left putt.

The out of bounds is so close on 15. Can you talk about standing on that tee and trying to pick a line?

No, it was a terrible shot. The out of bounds is close, but if you hit a bad shot, even if it's far away, you're going to find it.

You got back to 3 over par. How were you able to do that today?

I don't know, I guess I got a little fortunate, I made a couple birdies and then a nice eagle on 2. And I was able to birdie a couple of those shorter holes coming in.

The eagle here at No. 2. How good was that?

It was good because I was 6 over at that time. I hit a really good drive and then a very nice 3 wood to that distance and I was able to roll that in, which is a really nice that I made a great save on the next, so that was good.

Over the course of the 18 holes, how was the reception from the fans here?

It was good. I think that it was very good for the most part, and I was happy with it.