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TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 26, 2015

Chris Stroud

CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT

Q. With six birdies today, you really had a roll on 2, 3, and a great birdie at the 4th. Tell us about that run for you, Chris?
CHRIS STROUD: Yeah, it was a great run. Started off with No. 10 today on the back nine. Bogeyed the first hole, had a terrible swing on the first tee shot. Got lucky actually that I didn't hit it out of bounds and I was able to save bogey. It was a good bogey. I birdied the next hole. Kind of got me going again. I think I birdied 11, 12, 13, kind of got it going again. I just didn't hit the ball very well today. Not as good as I did yesterday. My irons were pretty nice. I didn't drive it as well. Just everything was a little bit shaky. I made some nice putts. Just kind of sharpened it up a little bit.

Q. You have some great memories here, obviously, at this course. Two years ago you came so close to a championship. What's it like to be back here and playing so well?
CHRIS STROUD: It's awesome. This course is great for me. I'm not a bomber, so it's nice to be able to have a lot of short irons into the greens. I even have a note in my yardage book, as long as I'm sharp from 100 yards to 165 this week, I can make a lot of birdies, and I've done that so far this week. As long as I can keep it up, keep it sharp, I'll give myself a lot of looks.

Q. You're in prime position for this weekend. The competitive juices have to be flowing for you?
CHRIS STROUD: Oh, it's awesome. I know Bubba's playing really well. I haven't seen any coverage on him yet, but I know he's playing well and he's going to be tough to beat. I've got to stay sharp, keep pushing, and I think the numbers are going to be pretty high. 17, 18-under is what I'm going to be shooting for. It played a little more difficult this afternoon because the greens are a little more firm. Did a good job with that. Just sharpen the wedges up a little bit, and make a few more putts tomorrow.

Q. 8-under par, and we just talked about it. You seemed to play well here. Two very consistent rounds to put yourself into the mix heading into the weekend. What do you do so well here?
CHRIS STROUD: Over the years I guess it's because there are a lot of short irons for me. Normally on a long golf course I'm hitting a lot of 5, 4, 3, maybe even 6-irons. But this week it's a lot of wedges for me. It's nice to be able to -- I'm driving it really well. I've had a few issues with some equipment. I finally got the shafts right with my irons and I made the irons really close like I did last year. The greens are beautiful. I didn't play as well today, but I'll see if I can sharpen it up tomorrow.

Q. I saw you at the clubhouse after yesterday. And you said I've been tinkering all season long. It seems maybe you've finally found something you feel confident in. How much does that mental strength really matter when you come to a course you're comfortable on as well?
CHRIS STROUD: Yeah, it's huge. When you have issues with your equipment, and it's just been a little bit different. The feel of the shafts just haven't felt right. I finally got that done. Now that's out of my mind. Now I can hit golf shots, work on my golf swing. Try to execute and put myself in position, and I've done that so far. I've been putting well. I've been actually playing well for a while, but the shafts just haven't helped me out. I finally got it down, and we'll see if I can put together two more good rounds tomorrow.

Q. Moving forward what's going to be the key for you?
CHRIS STROUD: Same thing. Nothing fancy. Hit a lot of fairways, lot of greens, keep myself below the hole and see if I can keep my putter hot.

Q. Tell us about your round today?
CHRIS STROUD: Got off to a really crazy start. I hit a terrible shot on the first tee shot on 10. Made a great bogey on 10. Got right back on it and made three birdies in a row. Didn't hit the ball as well today. I put myself in some really bad positions into the green and didn't get up. Wasn't able to get up and down a couple of times. But I made a great save on No. 7, my 16th hole. I missed the fairway way left of the dunes and got it up and down from about 50 yards to the green. So that was a nice kind of finish to the round. I had a good chance to make birdie on the 8th there. I just played too much break, and then 9 I hit a terrible wedge. So my focus tonight just work on getting the wedges sharp. There are a lot of wedges and short irons here for me. If I can keep my short irons really sharp, give myself a lot of chances, I may have a good chance to win on Sunday.

Q. What is it about this place (Indiscernible)?
CHRIS STROUD: It's probably just because I have more chances inside 175 yards into the greens. I'm driving it better. I've got a driver I really like, and it's just normally on the longer golf courses. But as far as me playing well here, I don't know. It's a good vibe. I didn't grow up on Poa Annua greens, so I don't know. I like it. It seems to fit my eye and I've been making a lot of birdies, so hopefully I can keep that up.

Q. What do you think it will take this weekend?
CHRIS STROUD: I'm going to be shooting for 17, 18-under. Depends on the weather a little bit. If it rains, I know there is some rain in the forecast coming. Wind can really make a factor. Today the greens were firmer, so I hope to see that. The firmer the greens, the more precise you've got to be, and that's what I'd like to see. I remember I went here a couple years ago, and the greens were extremely firm on Sunday, and that's what I like to see. The scores won't be as good that way. But I'm sure somewhere between 13 and 17 or 18-under will win. Just depends how soft and how mild the conditions are.
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