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FRYS.COM OPEN

October 16, 2015

Martin Laird

Napa, California

Q. As firm as these greens are right now and the lack of wind, as high as I can hit a golf ball, man, got to love this place.
MARIN LAIRD: Yeah, I enjoyed it last year. It was my first year here and I loved the place. I was excited to come back after I played last year.

Obviously pleased to be in a good position after two rounds.

Q. I caught up with you at 18. You had 260 is what I was told, and that ball you hit to the moon. I just don't see balls? Go in that window from that distance. It went over the green and you didn't pull it off, bu those type of shots are what're going to get you through this week if it stays calm?
MARIN LAIRD: Yeah, you know, there's a handful of greens out here, even some of the par-3s, it's tough just to hit a green never mind get it close to the pin.

It's definitely a golf course, even though it's not the longest course -- like I said, the greens are really firm and the sun is baking them out. It's definitely a golf course that the higher you can hit to the better it is.

As I said, I enjoy it. That's one of the aspects of my game: I can hit it high kind of call. I've been putting it nicely too the first two rounds, so hopefully I can keep doing that.

Q. Trying figure out why the scoring might not be quite as good as yesterday. Is it the hole locations? Felt like some of the easier holes the pins were in tough spots.
MARIN LAIRD: Yeah, we were talking about that out there. My caddie said he noticed that yesterday when he was walking the pins, that today's pins were definitely -- I mean, there were three or four that were by far the hardest pins out there on the greens today.

Even a short hole with a wedge you can't really go near it, because if you mess your spot you're dead.

This course is one of these courses that doesn't look that bad when you just miss a green, but the greens are kind of subtly fast. Looks like a pretty simple chip, but it's really quick.

I think that's why the scores aren't really running away. Pin positions a little tougher and the greens getting a firmer.

Q. What was the biggest difference in how the golf course was scoring today?
MARIN LAIRD: Yeah, I think the pins were a little tougher today. No wind again. But early this morning I didn't drive the ball very well today. I drove it great yesterday. This rough is pretty thick in the morning when it's wet.

So I struggled a little bit there early and then started driving the ball a little better in the end. Pleased to finish with a birdie there.

Q. Seemed like your bunker shots were really great today, including that hole-out on 16; you knocked one close here on 9 to finish out the day. How were those shots feeling?
MARIN LAIRD: Yeah, obviously 16 I kind of chopped my way down the hole and holed a bunker shot for birdie, which was a bit of a bonus.

And then there didn't hit a great second shot in that bunker, but obviously very pleased to get up and down and tap it in and make a birdie to finish the day.

Yeah, there are plenty of bunkers that are tight to these pins, so your bunker game has got to be pretty good round here.

Q. You had a great finish here last year. Heading into the weekend in a good position. What are you looking forward to most about playing this weekend, especially knowing you can score low?
MARIN LAIRD: You know, last year I played really well the first two round; I kind of felt like I played average on the weekend and still had a chance to win.

So, you know, this year hopefully I can play a little better on the weekend and maybe off a win or at least give myself a good shot again.

As I said, I love this golf course. It sets up great for me. It's only going to get tougher, which I like. Hopefully I can keep going.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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