July 25, 2014
Quotes From:
GRAEME McDOWELL
Q. Right here in the mix of the RBC
Canadian Open, and for you, you got to see a
group ahead of you, the fireworks from DeLaet
and from Furyk. You played very well on your
own, as well. What were the conditions like
with such good scoring today?
GRAEME McDOWELL: You know, the
greens were pure this morning, getting out there
first thing on a tournament morning. The surfaces
were perfect. I could hear Jim and Graham up in
front making some birdies, and I kind of got off to a
nice start myself. That back nine has been pretty
kind to me the last couple days, and I took
advantage again this morning.
But conditions are tricky. The wind is
really gusty. One second it's not there at all, and
the next second it's blowing 10, 15 miles an hour.
This is still a good test of golf. You still have to hit
it in the fairway. Some great par-4s coming in, and
really happy to just kind of be in some kind of
contention going into the weekend behind some
great players.
Q. Now that you've taken a couple trips
around the course here, knowing your position
roughly, what is it going to take for you, some
of the key things this weekend that you'll need
to win this golf tournament?
GRAEME McDOWELL: I've got to drive it
well. I've got to put it in play, and I've just got to
keep my feels in and around the greens, chipping it
well. My bunker play is solid, and I'm seeing these
greens well, so I just need to keep it simple, on the
greens, make some putts, and hopefully come
Sunday afternoon give myself a chance.
Q.
Great playing out there this
morning. You birdied 15, 16 and 18. What did
you do well in that stretch to get your round
going?
GRAEME McDOWELL: I putted well. I
mean, to make birdies, typically you've got to roll
the pill well, and I did that today. Greens were
really nice this morning.
The greens were
receptive so you could be aggressive with your iron
play. I kept that up there today, and those last
nine holes, I mean, I gave myself a ton of chances
and couldn't get the thing in the hole. But that's
golf.
Just happy to be kind of in the mix,
positioning myself, 36 holes left here, and right
where I want to be.
Q. How did you find the course today
because it's dried out some, there's been a bit
of wind and you played in the morning.
GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, the wind
was gusty. It was definitely a factor. It was
anything from kind of three, four, five miles an hour
right up to sort of 15 miles an hour at times out
there, so you had to be really aware of what the
wind was doing the second you were getting into
the ball and try and commit to your shots. Good
test of golf out there. Some great holes on this
course, and like I say, greens remained fairly
receptive this morning, but good drying conditions,
and the course is only getting tougher.
Q. You don't know where this is going
to be, but 7-under puts you in the thick of
things. You've got to be pretty comfortable
with that.
GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, Jim Furyk
got off to a flier in front of me. I was aware of that.
Quality player. Kuchar was going well. I know
Graham DeLaet played well in front of us, as well.
If it's possible to feed off the group in front of you, I
was kind of doing that a little bit, and some good
players up there. Like I say, 36 holes left, two solid
rounds under my belt, right where I want to be, and
come Sunday, hopefully we can have a chance.
Q. 31 on the first nine. That 34 on the
back, you had a birdie on No. 3. I saw you on
No. 1 and you were a little bit short. Was it
because of the wind or was that simply
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because you didn't hit it like you wanted?
GRAEME McDOWELL: I didn't hit enough
club off the tee on 1. I've hit 3-wood the last two
days, left myself nearly 200 yards into that first
hole. I'm going to hit driver there this weekend,
play a little bit more aggressive. As long as you
miss the first fairway right anywhere, you're okay
going in there. 1 was just the wrong club off the
tee. I had chances galore, sort of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
chances all over the place. I just didn't take many
of them. But we'll be back tomorrow.
Q. Did you get your rest?
GRAEME McDOWELL: I slept great last
night, I really did. I felt a lot fresher this morning,
let's put it that way. The legs felt good. I should
only get stronger this weekend.
Q. You're only three back. Anything
can happen tomorrow, right?
GRAEME McDOWELL: Absolutely. 36
holes left, you know, three back. I'll take that any
week you ever want to tee it up. I'll take three
shots back into any weekend, anywhere, anyplace.
Q. Nice day out there, bogey-free. How
did it feel?
GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, good day
today.
Like you say, nice to be bogey-free
anywhere in the world. I hit it much better today,
much more solid. I had that last shot there to play
a little bit -- I hit a couple of squiffy looking ones
there the last four or five holes last night. I felt a
little bit tired coming in. I slept great last night,
came out this morning refreshed and felt stronger
out there today. Really seeing the greens well.
You know, I felt like I hit a lot of good putts today. I
missed a few coming in. I missed a few makeable
opportunities there that last nine holes. But all in
all, sort of three or four back going in here to the
weekend, I'm very happy with my start.
The greens are receptive, which is always
a help. I think when you're playing golf courses
like this, on Rees Jones type greens where there's
sections, guys that play well find the right sections
and they can make birdies. The guys that don't
play well don't find the right sections, and this golf
course is tough.
I feel like the good is really good here and
the bad can be really punishing. It's that kind of
golf course.
Q.
What do you have to do this
weekend to get yourself in the winner's circle?
GRAEME McDOWELL: I've just got to
keep playing aggressively, find the fairways off the
tee. My iron play feels aggressive. I've got to stay
aggressive to these flags. I'm chipping well, and
I've just got to stay relaxed with the flat stick and
really keep seeing these greens and not force it.
You know, I feel like this is the type of golf
course where I can go post this weekend.
Q. You talked about being aggressive.
If the conditions stay as soft as they are, how
aggressive can you be going into the
weekend?
GRAEME McDOWELL:
You know, it
really is pin dependent. Like I say, with these
greens being in kind of sections, you just have to
analyze where the flag is and how aggressive you
can be. My caddie is kind of -- as we go around
today, he's looking at tomorrow's pins knowing
where I can and cannot miss it.
I generally feel like the more aggressive
you are to these flags, short-siding yourself
generally is not too bad here. The greens are soft,
and you know, good iron shots really get rewarded
here.
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Q. There's a few good low scores out
there but some of the guys are still saying that
it's pretty tricky, you have to kind of keep your
attention?
GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, for sure,
there's no doubt about it. The course is -- it's a
long course in places. There's holes like 11 and 4
and a couple of these par-3s which are playing -leaving you second shots in the range of 220 and
230, a couple of par-3s playing in the range of 220
and 230, so this course has got some length to it.
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