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WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP

August 19, 2015

Camilo Villegas

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

JOHN BUSH: We'd like to welcome our defending champion here at the Wyndham Championship, Camilo Villegas.
Camilo, first of all, before we get to talk about this year, take us through that win last year and what it did for you heading into the FedExCup Playoffs.
CAMILO VILLEGAS: It was awesome. Obviously after probably three and a half years of not winning a golf tournament, just coming here and feeling good all week and getting off to the start I did on Sunday I think I was like 5-under through 7 holes and hanging tough and then holding the trophy at the end, it was pretty special.
It's tough to win on the PGA TOUR. These guys are good. I did it three times before last year but after three and a half years, you start asking yourself a lot of questions and you keep putting the hours, putting the grind, you keep putting the effort but the results weren't coming and to finally pull through and just hold the trophy and get back in that winner's circle was pretty special for me.
JOHN BUSH: You enter the week No. 129 in the FedExCup standings. Talk a little about the work that's ahead of you this week.
CAMILO VILLEGAS: Obviously the position in the FedExCup shows that the year hasn't been the most consistent year, it hasn't been the best year. Little disappointed about that.
I don't gain anything by just complaining and just looking at the -- what I have to do, what I should do or what I should have done but just focus on this week. Just tee it up tomorrow, trying to put myself in contention, giving myself a chance to win a golf tournament and do no different than we do when we show up to any golf event.
If I play good, good. Obviously that's the plan. If I don't play good, well, it's not the end of the world. Life keeps going. We keep trying to get better and grinding and take it from there.
JOHN BUSH: Questions. Mike.

Q. What is it about this particular time with The Playoffs itself? Something special that kind of gets you going?
CAMILO VILLEGAS: With so much volatility, you know what can happen during this next month, I mean things have changed, can drastically change. Good years can become average years from a point of where you finish. Average years can become unbelievable years and bad years can become great years, too.
It's about being focused. It's late in the season. Guys have played a lot. Some guys are tired and it's about finding that energy. There's a lot at stake. Obviously there's 10 mil for the guy that wins the FedExCup.
Who doesn't want to be part of that? So, it's about digging deep and just being focused and going through your routine and being patient and just more than anything being patient and finding that energy to just kind of perform at this time.
I mean Majors are big events. World Golf Championships are big events. Now we have the FedExCup which is very big and it can do great things for you.

Q. Camilo, you mentioned that you went three and a half years without a win. You started to ask yourself some questions. Was there self doubt and how do you get around that or how do you get through that if there is some self doubt?
CAMILO VILLEGAS: Let me tell you, this game is so much fun when you're playing good and when you're not it changes. You're still playing the game, you're still -- I mean it's a great job but, trust me, when you're not performing out here and when you're just missing cuts and missing cuts the frustration level goes up big time and I don't care how good or bad your job is, when you're around an individual that's frustrating, the atmosphere changes, the energy changes.
There were times where it wasn't fun. I really enjoy when I got home and just unpacked my bags and even though it was for only one, two weeks then I have to pack again and I was like man, home is home. You know what, we travel a lot. We don't get enough time in our own bed and it starts digging in you and then -- but you keep putting in the hours, you keep putting the time, the effort and when you start turning things around, funny enough, the frustration level goes down, you feel more comfortable, time goes smoother. You enjoy, you don't mind the traveling as much. You're just happier.
Maybe shouldn't be like that but it is. You ask any player out here, you go through the process, you stick to your routine, do this and that but when you're playing good, it's a lot more fun out here than when you're playing bad.

Q. Camilo, a year ago you already had a spot in The Playoffs locked up so you didn't have to worry about that. Obviously this year that's not the case.
Do you have a little bit of a different mindset this year as opposed to last year, do you pay more attention to the points this week than you did last year?
CAMILO VILLEGAS: To be honest, I haven't even looked at the points. I don't really know where I have to finish this week. It changes so much. Lot of guys that are in a similar position coming from behind are here this week. Two, three of those guys finish in the Top-5 and they're probably going to pass you if they're behind you unless you're one of those guys.
You can go crazy looking at numbers. You can't really figure them out to perfection. My attitude is come here, try to defend this title and just kind of relive the good memories from last year, be positive about everything, try to feel comfortable like I felt last year walking the fairways, walking on the greens, making putts and guess what, if I play good this week, great. If I don't, I'm just going to have a little longer break. It is what it is.

Q. Since you won last year, how did you find the course today, particularly the greens, the condition and speed?
CAMILO VILLEGAS: Greens were unbelievable especially considering how much rain came down last night. Fairways are soggy and wet. I think we have -- we're expecting some rain this afternoon. Friday, Saturday, Sunday looks better.
Hopefully good enough to dry the golf course a little bit. But since they changed the grass on these greens, you can't mess up this grass. It is so good, the ball rolls so perfect and it was great.

Q. There are a lot of 20-something players in this field. You had some success, lot of success early in your 20s.
How hard is it to be a young player on this Tour and what kind advice would you have for those kids, rookies?
CAMILO VILLEGAS: It's very competitive out here but you know what's the best thing or the best advice to those kids is not to overthink anything.
I look back when I was in my early 20s playing on the PGA TOUR, I had no worries, man, absolutely no worries. I was just having a good time and playing golf and working hard.
And it's funny, I was talking with my sports psychologist a few weeks ago and little -- it's interesting story. I looked at him, you know what, I haven't been playing as good last few years but I have four wins. I've been -- the game of golf has been pretty good to me. I've played on this Tour for ten years, made great money. I've been smart with my money. I got a great team around and me, good family.
Kind of interesting that sometimes today I worry about more things I used to worry when I was 23. And guess what, my first year out here I didn't have money and I didn't have a lot of things I have right now. But, yeah, the more you overthink, the more clutter you can get so, yeah, all those young kids have fun, man.

Q. Camilo, I was just curious if you had any specific memories while going through your Pro-Am round today since the last time you were on this course you won a championship?
What type of memories were going through your head as were you going through the full 18?
CAMILO VILLEGAS: Yeah. I mean I was talking with my caddy out there couple holes remembering some good shots and we talked about a shot I hit on the 5th hole, par 5, just good 7-iron and I ended up making eagle on that hole the last day and then on the 9th hole I hit it way right and had a tough shot, tough lie, hit a great shot through the trees.
And so those things, I mean you remember those things and that's what you got to train your mind. Train your mind to remember the good ones, man. Just build that storage in your head about good shots, positive shots and take advantage of them.

Q. We're less than a year away from the Olympics. The last time I checked you were projected to be in the field. What's your thoughts about that, how excited are you to possibly, you know, to be in Rio next year?
CAMILO VILLEGAS: I always said it's great to see golf back in the Olympics after what was it a hundred years or something?

Q. 104.
CAMILO VILLEGAS: 104 years without being part of it. As a kid I grew up watching that opening ceremony every time. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to be part of one.
I have a chance to be part of one next year. I got to keep playing good, get myself in and have a chance to represent my country in probably one of the biggest or the biggest sports stage in the world and man, that would be great. Looking forward to that. Got to -- as I said, got the play good the next few months and wear the Columbian colors when I go there.
JOHN BUSH: Camilo, thank you for your time.
CAMILO VILLEGAS: See you guys. Thanks.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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