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QUICKEN LOANS NATIONALJuly 30, 2015Ryo IshikawaGAINESVILLE, VIRGINIA MARK STEVENS: I'd like to welcome Ryo Ishikawa. Got to 8-under today. Round included a Hole-In-One on No. 4. Kind of take us through that hole and then we'll have a few questions. RYO ISHIKAWA: That was 180 yards to the flag. I hit an 8-iron, solid strike and landed like five yards, six yards past the flag and back to in sink the hole. I saw that every moment. We can see everything from the tee box to that green so that was kind of special moment and I was 6-under already before that shot and then 8-under after that shot. So, that's difficult after that Hole-In-One through that 9th hole, tough five, six holes and just play even par after that. It was a good day. MARK STEVENS: Thank you. Is that your first Hole-In-One on Tour and did you have one -- when was your last one? RYO ISHIKAWA: Actually first Hole-In-One in the U.S. I got one in Puerto Rico three years ago and I got three more in Japanese Tour, yeah, so this is my fifth. MARK STEVENS: Thank you. Questions. Q. I wanted to ask you about that birdie run, how did you feel when it got going and can you kind of take us through your emotions as it was on the run? RYO ISHIKAWA: I mean we teed off the 10th tee and 10, 11, 12, it's a tough, tough holes out there, like 11 is tough par 3, toughest par 3 on the course and 12 is the longest par 4. I mean I had a 5-hybrid off the tee and hit a 3-iron into that green and I got -- I went to left side bunker that I could up and down from there. It was kind of good start for me. And my first birdie was I think 14, 14, 15, 16, 17 -- yeah, 14, par 5. I laid up and kind of 50 yards to the flag. I took 51-degree and like 8 feet and I made it. And 15 was another 6-foot, 7-foot birdie putt and 16, 17, 18 was just a putting hole like I just catch the green and 15-foot, 20-foot birdie putt that three holes. It was a putting day for me, yes. I just putt them perfectly like I just didn't get mis-putt today so I mean couple -- I mean few two putts over there but still happy with the first putt and that was my great day for my putting. Q. Ryo, there have been a lot of Hole-In-Ones so far this year. Many more than last season. I can't figure it out. Maybe since you made one today you have an explanation for why. RYO ISHIKAWA: I don't know. Because Rickie did it today, as well, right? 9th hole was tougher than 4th hole so I think Rickie hit a 7 or 8-iron, I think, but that's hole location on 9th. I think that's a better shot, better than me, obviously. I don't know why there's so many Hole-In-Ones. I think because of the Quicken Loans. I think good system. Q. I just wanted to ask about, you talked about how great the putting was. When was last time you felt you putted that sharply? RYO ISHIKAWA: I think 2011, 2010 was my best putting season I think ever had but I mean still I'm 23 now so I hope long, I mean long tournament and many tournaments to go. I mean -- but that was my best year for my putting. But, yeah, it's closer to that year today, today's putting, yeah, it reminds me of like three, four years ago and -- that's pure green, also. Yeah, thanks to all the greenkeepers. It's tough weather to keep greens so pure. I like to thank them, yeah. Q. Did you change anything? I mean did you see this coming in anyway? Have you been working on the putting in every way? RYO ISHIKAWA: Everyday I'm working but I mean not really. I'm just trying to figure out my speed so it's not -- putting, it's not all about stroke. You need correct stroke but also at the same time you need correct speed and correct read. So, that's three things most important for the putting. I just trying to get correct speed today. I focused on the speed on the green. Q. Steal it for one more. Can you talk about what it would mean to be in the hunt on Sunday here and maybe get long sought victory? RYO ISHIKAWA: Still 54 holes to go. So, after tomorrow still, I mean half, 50 percent so today, I mean before teed off the -- my goal for today's round was 3 or 4-under so it's kind of like twice, the two time score but I'm so happy but I still trying to get 3, 4 birdies out there tomorrow, 18 holes and then after that just reset and get another focus on the weekend. MARK STEVENS: Couple more. Q. If I heard you right you mentioned that it was kind of tough after the Hole-In-One. Could you talk to me about why that is? After the run of birdies and the Hole-In-One, were you kind of emotional or something like that to -- take me through your mental approach there. RYO ISHIKAWA: It's kind of tough question so can I talk to translator? MARK STEVENS: Yes. RYO ISHIKAWA: After I made a Hole-In-One on No. 4 I start feeling like I was not calm but it took about two holes to make myself calm, calm down and the par 5 -- No. 5 was a par 5, like a birdie hole but it was kind of difficult for me to make a par right there. Q. Do you find that people are surprised that you're 23? Do you have to remind people about how young you are sometimes? RYO ISHIKAWA: Not now because you can see around -- I mean around here there's -- I mean Jordan, obviously he's 21, 22 still and there's another 20 and teenager already coming up so yeah, I'm still -- I think I'm still young but it's not too young. Obviously I'm not thinking about age in this field. I mean you can see that 50-something, 50 years old, 40 years old, every generation, the great players here playing, competing each other. So, it's not all about age. I mean -- but sometimes I looked at like Vijay Singh and like Fred Couples. When I see the guys playing so long on PGA TOUR they have a reason about playing PGA TOUR so long time. I think Freddy has great body, great soft body and soft swing, smooth swing and Vijay has a great swing. So, everyone playing long has a reason, great reason. So, I'm not thinking about the age but there's a reason. Yeah, that's good question but I'm young now. Coming many teenager, in the 20s coming so yeah, I want to be -- I mean getting the competition this week and competing like Rickie and Rory, Jordan some day. That's my goal, yeah. MARK STEVENS: Thanks for your time. Best of luck tomorrow. RYO ISHIKAWA: Thank you FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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