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SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN

October 21, 2015

Patton Kizzire

Las Vegas, Nevada

AMANDA HERRINGTON: We'd like to welcome Patton Kizzire to the interview room here at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open. Thanks for taking some time to talk with us. We're eager to talk. You're starting your season as a PGA TOUR member. Start us off by talking about your success on the Web.com TOUR, season money leader, and how you got here.

PATTON KIZZIRE: Well, this past year has been awesome. The Web.com TOUR was a great experience for me, and I gained a ton of confidence just from going through the Q-school, finally making it through the Q-school. I felt like my game was solid enough to play well in all three stages, and I just got out there and got my feet wet and started getting more comfortable, and it was a great year.

To get that win in Utah finally after some close calls was huge to boost my confidence even more, and to get that second win in Knoxville just kind of let me know that I was starting to get back into some winning ways. It's been a huge year.

AMANDA HERRINGTON: And you're also coming to us as a newlywed. You delayed your start to get married this last weekend.

PATTON KIZZIRE: Yeah. Even though a lot of good golf stuff has happened, getting married is the biggest event of the year and of my life so far. I've got a great girl, Kari Hodgdon, which is now Kari Kizzire. That sounds so weird. Also to have a little something on my finger here; I've had to learn to swing with that.

But I'm super excited to be a husband and to start my year on the PGA TOUR as a husband and see what I can do.

Q. Pat, how do you approach this TOUR and not make it bigger than it is and be able to still play within yourself, knowing that it's such a long year that if you don't have success early that you can avoid getting frustrated?
PATTON KIZZIRE: Well, I've had some PGA TOUR experience before through Monday qualifiers and stuff like that. So I think that's been really beneficial for me to kind of know what to expect and not be a total rookie. I guess I'm a rookie for the TOUR, but I'm trying to treat it like any other golf tournament. I know a lot of these guys that are out here. I've competed against them, and I'm sure I'll put myself in some uncomfortable spots, but that's what I want to do. I think that's where the growth happens is whenever you get in uncomfortable spots.

But I know a lot of these guys, and it's golf. You just -- I'm just going to go try to execute my game plan and see where it puts me. But it's certainly a big stage, and I'm welcoming that.

Q. What did you learn about playing the game of golf on the Web.com TOUR beyond swinging and putting? Beyond honing your game on the Web.com TOUR, what did you learn about being a professional by playing out there?
PATTON KIZZIRE: Well, it's a lot like the PGA TOUR, just the way it's run and structured. The travel is something I had to learn. That was a big -- that was new to me, hopping on airplanes, going to different countries or different areas of the United States, and doing interviews and just everything that goes along with being a professional. I think the Web.com TOUR prepped me as a professional golfer, and it's making the transition to the PGA TOUR a little bit more seamless instead of say several years ago getting through the PGA TOUR Q-school is what it used to be. If you were 21, 22, 23 years old and you'd go right through the Q-school and get thrown into the PGA TOUR, it could be a little bit of a shell-shocking experience. But the Web.com TOUR definitely prepared me.

Q. Are you going to have more butterflies from your wedding day or in the run-up to the first day teeing off as a PGA TOUR member?
PATTON KIZZIRE: Well, both have their butterflies. Honestly, I felt really comfortable during my wedding. I just have a lot of faith that I was making the right decision, and she was, too, and we're a good fit. So it was weird how calm I was.

But I'm definitely going to be anxious on that first tee tomorrow, and that's -- I get excited about being excited. You know, it's going to be good to get it started tomorrow, and hopefully I get off to a good start with some birdies and get going.

Q. What kind of expectations are you going to have, not just for this week but this season, being your first full season out here on TOUR? Anything in particular that you kind of want to make sure that you're looking out on your list?
PATTON KIZZIRE: Well, I want to look back and say that I gave myself the best chance to play well. I want to win. Winning is something that I'm starting to get a little more comfortable with and believing in myself a lot more, so you know, I'm going to go into the tournament trying to win each tournament and just see where it puts me. I have a lot of dreams, a lot of goals, Ryder Cup and Masters. I mean, those are two things that stand out. I've hit a lot of putts to win the Masters.

I'm taking it week by week and trying to get in the mix, just get off to a good, smooth start and then wake up and find myself in a good spot.

AMANDA HERRINGTON: Patton, thanks so much for your time, and good luck this week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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