	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

August 30, 2014

Ryan Palmer

NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Q. Very nice 63 yesterday. An even par round, 71 today. What was the difference between today and yesterday?
RYAN PALMER: Nine shots -- eight shots, I guess. I don't know, I birdied the first hole. I thought here we go, this is going to be fun. And then hit an awful wedge on 2 and ended up in the water and doubled and then bogeyed from there. I just struggled hitting some crisp iron shots. I had a lot of good putts, a lot of good saves, some good long birdie putts. But it was a grind today. I didn't have it all. But I fought hard and stayed patient. And I was able to get in even par. So anything under par week is good.

Q. Yesterday after you posted that 63 there was a lot of talk about you now being in the Ryder Cup conversations as the Captain's pick. How much was that rattling around in your brain prior to today?
RYAN PALMER: I guess it's back there, I'm not going to lie. I'm probably going to have to win to get that. Maybe the top five or three, might consider it. But I know I've got to play good golf. And that's the main thing. My main thing is getting myself set up and trying to take care of Atlanta this week. That's my goal this week. And win, obviously. But I think if I get Atlanta wrapped up this week, that would be a big bonus for me.

Q. Let's talk about today. You had to battle out there. It was a little tougher than yesterday when the putter was red hot, but I thought you ended well?
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, I did. The putter was there today, as well, I felt I just didn't have any chances. I really had to grind it out there today. Got off to a good start, obviously. But a couple of bad swings there on the front nine. But I still made some pretty good birdie putts, I thought, and had some good saves. Definitely down 18 was big, down the left side. That's not easy, the way the green is built. Proud of the way I hung in today. It could have gone the other way pretty fast. I stayed patient, stayed calm and I salvaged an even par.

Q. Talk about the shot at 18. You had the wedge out, put it back in and went with the putter. And you had to come up that huge crest there behind the green. That took a lot of moxy?
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, no, it was the putter the whole way. I just wanted to see if there was a possibility of getting a wedge up there. I'm always one to putt a lot off the green because I've always felt bad putts get closer than bad chips. I actually practiced that shot on Thursday in the Pro Am, to both pins, back left and that one. I so I knew the speed it was coming up that crest. Fortunately I got it right this time and ended nicely.

Q. How is the course going to play the rest of the day? The wind is coming up. The greens are firming up. It's tough out there.
RYAN PALMER: It is getting tough out there. But I found myself really fighting some different winds, some swirling winds and on and off. Yes, you're right, the greens are firming up. It will be nice out there this afternoon. You saw what Kuchar is doing. It's there for the taking if you don't have too many putts, I guess.

Q. Are you excited about the rest of the way?
RYAN PALMER: I am. I'll go relax this afternoon, hang out with Jen and the kids and relax and get ready for the weekend and make it hard on Tom Watson.

Q. (Inaudible.)
RYAN PALMER: It was a grind. It was tougher, too. The winds were up a little bit more, swirling. And trying to figure out which way it was going out there. I had to hit a lot more half shots. Yesterday was more full shots. Today was more of control. Just didn't have it all out there. I drove the ball really good, I thought, and I still putted good again. Had a lot of good saves and some good birdie putts. I fought my irons all day I felt like. But I stayed patient, stayed calm. It could have gone the other way real quick, I thought. I was glad to get that last birdie on 18 and salvage even.

Q. (Inaudible.)
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, I mean he wants it as bad as I do. We've always wanted it that bad. But, again, we've still got to play the game. I don't know, I guess the top five, top three, but depending on what the guys he's looking at do. I think you could probably put all our names in the hat and draw them and it would work out that way, who knows. All I can do is keep battling. I know if I take care of this business, if he picks me, great.

Q. Whoever wins this week, they almost deserve or earn that spot?
RYAN PALMER: I'll tell you what, with the guys he's looking at, if I'm one of them, I haven't even talked to him or heard from him. I don't know if he's even -- if I'm even in the conversation. But I think if it was Brandt, me or Brendon or Ryan Moore or Bill, I'd almost think they'd be pretty close to being picked, I think.

Q. (Inaudible.)
RYAN PALMER: I think so. I think he was one of the guys he was looking at the most, I would bet. But I don't think we ever had this many guys trying to get three spots. I think there's five or six guys he's looking at, or whatever it is. Hopefully I'll be there standing, I don't know.

Q. (Inaudible.)
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, we talked. He said put the putter down. And I did through 1 (laughter) and then I ran out of gas. But he said keep doing what you're doing and go take care of it for me, he said. So that would be cool.

Q. Yesterday you start with a bogey and then make all those bogeys. Today you start with a birdie --
RYAN PALMER: It's a funny game. It's a funny game. Hopefully tomorrow I will try to learn from the mistakes I made today. I didn't hit the irons very well. I hit a lot of poor shots. Keep the putter on and driving it good we'll have a chance.

Q. What were you trying to do on 2? That was your third with the wedge?
RYAN PALMER: No, I had a perfect yardage and everything. I just pulled it just enough. I caught the big mound on the left and it spun back down. If it goes a foot right, it's 20 feet.

Q. You talked yesterday about how difficult it is to back up a low round. Are you happy with even par today?
RYAN PALMER: The way I played, yes, for sure. It could have gone, like I said, the other way pretty quickly. I made a great bogey on 10, which I think saved a shot. It could have been double bogey. I birdied 4 and 5, which was nice to get back in the swing of things. And played soft from there. Not a very good bogey on 8. Made a birdie on 12, and birdied 18. I had good chances coming in, I just couldn't get the ball in. Maybe it's a signal for tomorrow.

Q. If there was any chance you could lock of up Atlanta this week, would you still play Denver?
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, I'll definitely be there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297