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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 14, 2015

George Coetzee

Kohler, Wisconsin, USA

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon, welcome to the 97th PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. I would like to thank George Coetzee for being with us here today. 74 yesterday, 65 today, which is the low round of the championship up to this moment. Seven birdies, a couple bogeys and one eagle on 16. Do you want to tell us a little bit about your eagle?

GEORGE COETZEE: The eagle was pretty nice. I had 2-iron in from 260 and I just kind of visualized it and it happened exactly the way I kind of had it pictured in my mind. And those kind of shots don't happen like that that often.

JOHN DEVER: Now looking at your season to date, it looks like you were playing really well earlier in the year, couple of wins, one in Europe, one in Asia. Maybe not the best results the last couple months, did something change? What's changed here at Whistling Straits for you?

GEORGE COETZEE: I've actually felt like I've played pretty well, it's just been kind of mentally draining. I think I played too many events and probably not focused enough on preparing for only the big ones and instead of playing everything around it.

But I'm a little bit more rested this week and hopefully I'll have the energy come Sunday.

JOHN DEVER: Questions?

Q. For those who are kind of unfamiliar with you and your game, are you friends with some of the other South Africans that we might be a little more familiar with, like Louis and people like that?
GEORGE COETZEE: Yeah, that's usually who I kind of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday money games, it's me and Brendon, Louis and Charl. I've actually got to make some money to pay some bets this weekend.

Q. Is it encouraging to see Louis contend at St. Andrews and all the success that your fellow countrymen have had, just how encouraging is that?
GEORGE COETZEE: Yeah, they definitely inspire me, because we take each other's cash on a day-to-day basis, so it's nice to see them do well and it obviously makes me feel like I also deserve to be amongst them and play against the same guys.

JOHN DEVER: With a round like you had today, do you know you have it early on or is it something -- when does it come to you that today you've got it going?

GEORGE COETZEE: I think after birdieing the first couple of holes, I felt like I'm playing well. But yesterday, I birdied the first three holes and shot 74, so it's not really something you can count on.

But when I chipped in for par on the fourth hole, I definitely felt like, okay, maybe things are different from yesterday. Maybe I've got a bit more confidence. I was hitting it much better than yesterday. Yesterday I felt a little iffy and today it was just kind of commitment.

JOHN DEVER: Can you compare yesterday afternoon to this morning, conditions wise?

GEORGE COETZEE: Nine shots easier (Laughter).

I don't know. Yesterday it was quite difficult. Didn't play that badly, but the wind was blowing quite strong and I was hitting 2-iron into 18, and so it definitely wasn't easy yesterday.

But today was, like you could see, there was much more birdies to be had out there. The guys are definitely not hanging back like they did yesterday. Yesterday I think half the day they had my name on the scoreboard at 1-under for the afternoon field and I was like, well, you guess that's pretty good.

Q. You said you were probably playing slightly better than your recent results indicated. Saying that, three missed cuts in your last three European Tour events, what were your expectations coming into this week?
GEORGE COETZEE: Oh, hopefully make the cut (Laughter).

No, it's funny how the game works. I've had the same kind of swing thoughts, same game plan.

Today the putts just went in. I didn't make, I feel like I figured something out with the putting stroke and the putting feels much better than it did the last couple of weeks and that I guess makes a big difference in ball striking and every aspect of your game. If you know you're going to make the putts, then you can play a bit more conservative when you have to and you don't take the silly chances.

Q. Were you always a good putter or can you pinpoint when you became a good putter, first of all?
GEORGE COETZEE: I was about 10 years old. My dad, I remember me and my mates used to play nine holes and my dad came to me one day and said, bertie, which is little brother, if you want to make it in this game, you don't play nine holes with you friends, you stand and putt and putt from when they tee off until they come off the golf course.

So I've always been kind of focused on putting. I wish I hit a few more balls when I was a kid, but then again I've always said that I would be picking up trash if I couldn't putt.

Q. What was it that you did recently that you found with your putting that's helped you of late?
GEORGE COETZEE: Just some of the same stuff that I've always worked on. It's just a question of finding the right kind of drill to do. And if you do the right drill, then everything starts to click and I make more putts.

Q. What course would you compare this to, if it can be compared, to any course, and what do you like about it?
GEORGE COETZEE: I actually told my caddie that this golf course makes me think a lot of Kingsbarns that we play in the Dunhill Links. The layout's very similar. The condition of this golf course is immaculate and it might be a little better, but it's definitely the same kind of layout, same kind of tee shots. A few more bunkers here. But, yeah, definitely reminds me of that golf course.

Q. Do you have any family and friends here at Whistling Straits this week?
GEORGE COETZEE: No, no. Came over last week, I'm just here for this event. I went to TPI to go see a coach and did some surfing as well and I'll be home come Monday.

Q. Did you check your phone yet to see them following you around during this?
GEORGE COETZEE: After every round we have got like the family group and there's a lot of banter going on and it's always nice to kind of go on the phone and just read what everybody was thinking while I was playing.

JOHN DEVER: What time is it at home right now if it's noon here?

GEORGE COETZEE: Seven hours difference. So just past five.

JOHN DEVER: Okay, George Coetzee, thank you and best of luck throughout the weekend.

GEORGE COETZEE: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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