Clubhouse leader at the 2016 Open Championship Phil Mickelson said on Friday (15th July) he's enjoying playing at the course where he first learned how to play links golf well.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Phil Mickelson (Clubhouse leader 10 under par):

(On what challenges the weather poses)

"First of all I really enjoy the challenge that this weather and these elements provide and it was a good round to back up the low round yesterday. I played stress free golf again, I made one or two bad swings that led to bogeys, but for the most part kept the ball in play and played stress free golf. One of things I've really worked on over the years is getting the ball off the ground off the tee quickly so the ground is affecting it more so than the air. That two iron that I hit - this low shot that just gets on the ground quickly is taking a lot of the stress from me away from my tee shots. I feel like if I have to get one on the fairway, I've got a club and a shot that I could fairly easily and consistently and that has led to me playing well in the elements today and hopefully in the winds that we'll have tomorrow I'll be able to keep the ball down and get it on the ground."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Phil Mickelson (Clubhouse leader 10 under par):

(On Royal Troon and Links golf)

"This was the first course that I really played effectively Links golf in 2004. That's where it really kind of turned for me and this is where it kind of happened. This is where I stopped trying to overpower the golf course, where I kind of accepted playing it as its designed, if you will and not try to find a new and better way to beat the course other than just straight forward golf - that's probably why I love it so much."