What they are saying at Pebble

Saturday 17th June

"Goddamn fucking prick!" Tiger Woods, live on Television as he snap hooked his tee shot during the second round on the 18th hole.

"He's probably the most recognisable sportsman on the planet right now. And it's good for us. It's good for me. It brings in sponsors, it brings in a lot of media, a lot of people. But it would be even better for golf if someone could step up and play with him."
--Ernie Els on Tiger Woods.

"I wasn't too impressed the first two days, because he does it all the time, but what he's doing today is scary. It's a matter of survival and we see who's surviving. I survive with four over; he survives with one under." - Rocco Mediate on Woods.

"The only thing that can stop Tiger from winning is Tiger." - Jesper Parnevik on Tiger's lead after the second round.

"He hasn't signed his card yet. And I don't think he'll pull a Roberto DeVicenzo." - David Duval on Tiger

"It's almost getting to the point where everybody's playing for second every week. He's untouchable right now. It's phenomenal what he's doing out there." --Bobby Clampett on Tiger.

"I'm definitely mortal. I think we all are. But he's not. He's No. 1 and we're all (looking up) going 'Where is he?' He's just better in all aspects of the game, especially mentally. A lot of people have trouble, with the comments, some of the comments Davis (Love) and Colin (Montgomerie) have made, but the truth is the truth. He's the best. Over 11, 12 years the rest of us have no chance. Once in a while we can beat him. I don't have a problem with that. Not that he's going to win every week -- just 9, 10, 11 times a year."
--Rocco Mediate on Tiger.

"He's out there in his own tournament, isn't he?" --Pádraig Harrington.

"I don't want to sound like a crybaby, but he's had the best end of the draw with the conditions the first few days. On Friday I had to hit a 3-iron into 10, and he was able to hit an 8-iron. But he's just played awesome." --Ernie Els on Woods.

"When it's over I can reflect on it, but until that moment comes I have to keep working. When that moment comes I'll enjoy it very much." --Tiger Woods, on his latest romp into the record books.

"It was just the heat of the moment. I'm one of those guys who plays pretty intense. It just slipped out. I apologize. I regret it. I can apologize until I'm blue in the face. It was early in the morning, and I was just upset because I hit a bad shot. I was frustrated." --Woods, on his expletive-filled outburst at the 18th tee during his early-morning second round, which was picked up by NBC's microphones.

"I hit a rock. There was a rock right in front of my ball. In order to hit a shot, I had to take a rock out."
--Woods, on coming up shaking his right wrist after hitting his third shot from the slope of the cliff at the 10th hole.

"It's tough out there. A little bit different when guys come here for the AT&T. We're watching balls with wedges spin 20 feet before they even think of stopping. In the AT&T, guys are plugging the ball with their drivers."
--Woods on the firm and fast concrete conditions.

"It's tough, but at the same time I had a lot of fun, because today we got to see what Pebble Beach could be like under adverse conditions." - David Duval, who shot 74.

"I got my big dose of humble pie today. The only thing to do now is tomorrow have some fun and look forward to the Senior Open." - Hale Irwin, who shot a third round 81.

"It's potluck and it's getting out of control." - Nick Price, on the conditions.

"I played with the guy who'll be out last tomorrow." - Colin Montgomerie, predicting that Ernie Els would be in second place at the end of the day.

"I really should quit. I certainly don't belong out here." - A frustrated Woody Austin, after shooting 77.

"He's pretty hard on himself. Anyone who can hit it on 18 in two must be able to play the game." - Craig Parry, who played with Austin.

"It's easier to get up and down out of the bunker than the ocean." - Craig Parry, who wasn't too unhappy to find the bunker left of the green at 10.

"I decided to play by myself, get it over and done with (and) go lie on the beach or something." - Retief Goosen, who was the first man off in the third round, completing his solo round in under three hours.

"The bird is in heaven." - Sergio Garcia, asked what happened to the bird that his ball struck on Friday.

Friday 16th June

"Fuck you." - A not-so-smiling Shigeki Maruyama -- in English -- to the Japanese press after shooting 80

"Sure I'm happy with it, especially since it took 24 hours to play it." -- Loren Roberts, asked if he was happy with his first round score of 68

"Do they write the check based on that?" -- Kirk Triplett, asked how he felt being the leader in the clubhouse after play was suspended on Friday

"That's the end of it." --Jack Nicklaus after he hugged wife Barbara and family while walking to the scorer's trailer

"As we're walking off the 18th tee, the crowd was going, 'This is your last one? Is this the last one?' I said, 'Jack, tell 'em it isn't so.' He said, 'It probably is.'" -- Don Pooley, Nicklaus' playing partner on Friday

"The U.S. Open has always been the most important tournament to me. It's a total examination of the game of golf. It does more to make a man out of you than any other tournament." --Nicklaus, asked to sum up the U.S. Open

"He walked slow. I think he really enjoyed that walk." --Jack Nicklaus II, who caddied for his father, about his walk up the 18th hole

"I gave the ball and glove to Jackie and told him to save it. The clubs I'm gonna throw away." --Nicklaus after his 82

"I don't know when I would; I can't afford it." -- Nicklaus, asked if he'd ever return to Pebble Beach to play a round with his grandchildren

"It's hard work out there." --Nick Faldo, after finishing up his first round in the morning

"I hit a good one into the air. I was going to run under it. I thought the infield fly rule was in effect." -- Club pro Jeff Coston, after his first round of 77 Friday morning, on his tee shot on 17

"I tried too hard, took too long, and thought too much. Maybe I needed a lobotomy." -- Jeff Coston again

"I thought I'd do quite well here." - Greg Norman, who shot 77 82 for 17-over 159

"I made a 20-footer downhill for bogey. You can't believe how good that feels." - Richard Zokol, talking about the fifth hole

"I need a good kick in the arse." - Craig Parry, angry at the quality of his short irons

"The greens are too small. For instance No. 12. How are you going to get a ball on that green?" --Tom Watson, wondering about the course setup

"What do you think? I'm doing a pretty good job so far." -- Hale Irwin, on if he thinks he can win, after finishing his first round with a 68

Tuesday 13th June:

"The USGA's done a great job. They should be congratulated on the way they set up the golf course." - Norman, approving of the Pebble Beach course set-up

"I want to win majors, but it's not as simple as just going out and doing it. Otherwise you'd be Tiger Woods." - Stuart Appleby

"He's favorite wherever he plays. You could put him in the car park. It wouldn't matter." - Appleby on Tiger Woods

"I enjoyed myself too much I think." - Michael Campbell, looking a few pounds heavier after having an eight-week break prior to his recent return to competition

"I haven't really tried. I didn't want to hurt my wrists." - Jean Van de Velde, explaining why he hadn't hit many shots out of the rough

"I can play a bit now and again," - Darren Clarke, on why he wouldn't rule out his chances of winning

"If the wind blows 15-to-20 everyday, I don't think anybody can break par." - Lee Janzen

Wednesday 14th June

"We all know what it’s going to be like. The U.S. Open tries for high rough and fast greens and fairways that are very hard. I’ve yet to play in one that didn’t have that.” — David Duval.

“When I first played on it . . . I just remember coming out here and finding the golf course so long. I came back later and played the state amateur when I was 17 or 18, and I thought how short the course had gotten.”
Tiger Woods recalling his Junior State event a few years ago.

“He has the talent right now to dominate the game for a long time. Even though we have a lot of great players out there, he’s the standard. He’s the person on the leaderboard that everyone looks for. He’s the man.”
Former Pebble Beach US Open Champion Tom Watson on Tiger Woods.

“You’re doing a disservice by comparing him to me. Any time Tiger plays a tournament, you’ve got to look to him as a favorite.”
Double D on the Tiger...Red Hot favourite this week.

Thursday 15th June

"Get me to the airport fast." -- John Daly, who withdrew after shooting an 83 that included 14 shots at the final hole

"I'm trying to be a sneak-in dark horse." -- Nick Faldo on his good play in the first round

"You could see him in the fog, that's for sure. He's our beacon, so no one would hit into us." -- Tiger Woods on the bright orange shirt worn by Jesper Parnevik in the same group

"When I made the putt on nine, that I hit too hard, I just looked up at heaven and thanked God. It was unbelievable. My eyes just swelled up with tears. I think it was a clear demonstration of divine intervention." -- Bobby Clampett, who shot a three-under 68

"Bobby Clampett was a superstar waiting to happen. Something happened along the way. It's hard to put a finger on why." -- Paul Azinger

"I've played one tournament in the last 21 months." - Clampett, who works primarily for CBS television these days

"When I saw the tee times I wanted to go ahead and take advantage of it, and fortunately I did." -- John Huston, who shot 67 after teeing off at 6.40am