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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 12, 2015

Tom Gillis

SILVIS, ILLINOIS

THE MODERATOR: I'd like to welcome Tom Gillis, our runner-up at the John Deere Classic, with a 64 and a playoff for the final round. We've got the Open Championship this week at St. Andrews. So all in all just a couple of comments on the week.

TOM GILLIS: Well, I mean I would have to say, you know, it was a success overall. I mean when you're going to be 47, you got -- the window is closing, you know, so anytime you get into a playoff or you could have avoided the playoff maybe late in the round, you think about it. But overall I don't think a whole lot about that, probably, just because I haven't shown a whole lot of form, came back from shoulder surgery. Missed four months this year. You start to get to the point where you wonder how much more is there. But what I saw today and the last three days, I would have to say maybe I still think I got some time left. But you know, I'm not let get away on 16, hit an 8-iron right at it, and. That club usually is 16, and it flew over the flag. It probably just strike. Didn't get it up and down, and I think that was pivotal for me. I figured I'd have to get to 21 or 2, and didn't get it up-and-down on the 35-yarder on 17. But overall I'm pleased really. I saw some things that I hadn't seen in a while.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. With that, we'll take a few questions.

Q. (Indiscernible).
TOM GILLIS: Well, every time I get in situations like that, being the toughest kid on the block. (Applause). You know, 13, whenever it was when I lost to Rory at Honda and he went to No. 1 in the world that day, I wasn't shocked at all. I don't know. That's kind of my -- I don't know. I think more than anything he's a nice kid. He's a good person. He's obviously a wonderful player. I felt like, you know, at that point yeah, you want to win, but the ground work has been laid. At this point somebody is going to do a great job or somebody is going to make a statement when it's over. So you're splitting hairs at that point.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
TOM GILLIS: Yeah. We were in regulation and I just would have chipped it down there. My game has been great all week. You know, I think when you're playing No. 2 in the world or a top player like that, you can't keep giving them opportunities, you know. So I tried to force it, and I'd do the same thing again in a playoff. I wouldn't do that in regular play.

Q. (Indiscernible). Are you prepared for heading to the British?
TOM GILLIS: I said I wasn't going if I got a spot. I think I was just talking big. (Laughs). But I spent five years over there, and went back and forth. Labored heavily five years all over the world. So I kept saying all week, I'm past that chapter in my life. I wouldn't go if I got that spot. Then I find myself looking at that board thinking, man, I wouldn't mind getting that spot. (Laughs). So I'm like, I don't have any sweaters, I have nothing. I have a passport, but that's it. I've been over there, I know it's crazy that week. But the next couple days I'm going to be pretty tired, just the whole up and down and the flight and the lag, and I haven't dealt with jet lag in a while. But it's very exciting overall. It's the home of golf. And I've played it a bunch. Last time I was there about three years ago for the Dunhill Links Championship, and every time you walk up that first tee, it's emotional. I've never been like that anywhere else. I've never been to Augusta. But when I walk off the first tee at St. Andrews, it's very euphoric.

Q. Talk about the game required a lot of positive thinking. When it does sink in, what do you think you're thinking when you have gone toe to toe (indiscernible).
TOM GILLIS: Yeah. I would say so. I mean I'm flat right now just from calming down. But more than anything, you know, I got a nine-year-old and seven-year-old, and I think they're at the age where they can really -- my daughter has a crush on Jordan Spieth. She's seven. I wasn't sure during the playoff whether she was pulling for me or Jordan. (Laughs). I don't know if my son really knows the story. So looking back, yeah, it would be something -- you know, I never dreamed I'd ever be here in this position ever. All I ever wanted to be was a club pro. I worked at the club growing up near my house. I saw the head pro, it was like wow, this guy plays golf three days a week, he works six months a year. It's beautiful weather. He drives a nice car, got a beautiful wife, I'm like you don't need a degree. That's me. (Laughs). Here we are. Really, in the big scheme of things, never thought I'd have a nice house on a lake on the same street where I grew up in Michigan. And you know, I mean everything is gravy from here on out for me because it's been a lot of peaks and valleys since 1990.

Q. How many times have you gone back to TOUR school?
TOM GILLIS: I couldn't even tell you that. I know I was 0 for 13 before I made it. So I missed 13 straight times, and then I played it after five years in Europe, and then I think I've been two or three times since.

Q. Have you played the British Open?
TOM GILLIS: Yeah. Played two British Opens, (check) and Birkdale ^ in '99.

Q. All those years trying to get up to -- (indiscernible)?
TOM GILLIS: Never saw it. I guess I knew -- I could tell by the energy that I was in there, but I really thought in my heart -- I just thought that Jordan was really playing good today. And I kept thinking I'd have to get to 23 or 24. I really thought I'd have to get to 23, I was going to have to shoot 9 or 10-under today.

Q. Thousands of people on the Hillside Pavilion.
TOM GILLIS: Not a whole lot. (Laughs). You know, I understand that. Our sport is so different in that way that, you know, they identify with the favorite. And that's just the way it is. If it was Tiger, they'd be doing the same thing. You need to break the ice and become a household name before they're really, really on your side. But I understand that.

Q. You say you had many opportunities. Was there a point when you knew you were in the lead or ever?
TOM GILLIS: I knew somewhere around 15 I was up by one or whatever. But I mean your head is down and your foot's on the pedal. So you're thinking, Zach is back there. Jordan is back there. Golf course is really not playing that hard. I'm not done here, I got work to do.

Q. I was going to say, since you -- you know, put in context what Spieth is doing right now and I guess what the history could hold for him.
TOM GILLIS: Well, I mean I think next week's crucial. I mean he's so good. I mean the fact that Rory is not going to be there, that's crucial as well. That place is very, very perfect for Rory McIlroy. What he's doing is unbelievable. He got the first two, and he's just comfortable. He's a world-class player. When I'm standing there watching him putt in the playoffs, I'm like, this is a moment you need to think about and remember the rest of your life because the kid's that good. It was kind of neat.

Q. Yeah, I was going to say, it's probably exciting.
TOM GILLIS: Yeah, no. Of course, at that point, you know, I'm just standing there watching him, and just -- I don't want to say awe, but I'm like this is the future of the game. This is really -- he'll be here when I'm a senior. He'll be there when my kids are out of college. He'll be there. But the best part of it is he's just a good person.

Q. Between the first playoff hole and the second, you guys enjoyed walking down the fairway a little bit, back up to the top of 18. What did you guys talk about?
TOM GILLIS: Oh, he just said, this is fun, isn't it. I said, well, sure, this is what you strive for. And that's the point where I say he's a good person. He didn't have to say anything. We didn't have to say anything the whole time as well, but the fact that he's grounded and he had perspective that he's enjoying it, and I think that's really important.
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