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SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 15, 2016

Kevin Kisner

Honolulu, Hawaii

THE MODERATOR: Kevin, you're 11-under par through a couple of rounds, FedExCup leader. Obviously you've been playing well this season. You've been feeding off your group here for the first two days. Talk about your round a little bit.

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, I played solid again today, gave myself a lot of chances earlier. I just didn't hole as many putts early as I did yesterday, but it was a good way to finish it off. I wanted to make eagle on that last and I drove it. So happy to do that.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for some questions.

Q. First of all, assuming you played the 9th ^ hole yesterday as well, what was the difference in club selection on 9 today?
KEVIN KISNER: Yesterday I hit 9-iron and was blowing it straight downwind, and today I hit 8. It actually switched wind direction right when we were in the middle of the fairway.

I don't know if you saw Davis and Brandt both came up short. It switched more off to the right, so blowing that front end and the wind direction is going to change, so I think the course is going to play a lot different this afternoon.

Q. And were you teetering on, I wouldn't call it a meltdown, but was it difficult to keep your wits about yourself?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah. That's what I was telling people, I was more proud of the way I stayed patient all day. That round could have been a few more bogeys if I'd have let not holing any of the putts get to me, but stayed patient, kept getting good shots and got one in there close on 6, I think. It was pretty much a tap-in and good way to finish it on 9.

Q. With the way that the wind was switching towards the end, was it an advantage to go out early today in the morning round?
KEVIN KISNER: It's going to depend on how hard it blows. But I don't know, the way the wind was blowing yesterday and then early today I think is the easiest wind to play the golf course.

With it switching a little bit, you'll get a lot more cross-winds, which makes the fairways nearly impossible to hit as firm as they are. So I think it depends on how hard it blows, and if it gets any rain. The fairways are so firm, if we get any rain, it could soften it up and make it a little wider.

Q. You haven't had a lot of starts in this situation. I'm curious, as a confident, self-believing guy to begin with, did the level change any or would you expect it to change any having won or did you notice any confidence changing close call after close call?
KEVIN KISNER: Well, yeah, I definitely saw a huge confidence boost from close calls, and just the way I performed coming down the stretch was definitely a confidence builder.

But to go out and play the way I did on Sunday at the RSM with a three-shot lead was a huge confidence builder. It wasn't that favorable that I took a month-and-a-half off after it, but to come back and get right back into the fire and have a chance to win this weekend is going to be huge for me.

Q. It's taken you -- I think you turned pro in 2006.
KEVIN KISNER: (Laughs). Inside joke. Did you have to research that?

Q. Yeah, I did. Did you think it would take you this long to get to this point, A; and then B, when you got here, are you surprised on not how good the guys that you used to watch on TV are, but how good the guys that are behind you in age are?
KEVIN KISNER: Well, I definitely, to answer the second part, the younger guys are way better now as a younger age than I was. I've noticed that. And they all kill it. They're so much faster and more speed, and I don't know if it's the equipment or guys are just more fit and bigger. But I definitely see a difference between when I was 22 and guys that are 22 now.

When I first came to Hawaii my rookie year and I played this golf course and I shot a million, I thought, man, I'm never going to make it, and I thought it's the hardest golf course ever, and every one of them is just as hard. So for me to see that progression of how much I've improved and how much more confident I am on these golf courses has been huge for me.

Q. When you played Sony for the first time, was that your first PGA TOUR event?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, first PGA TOUR event.

Q. First ever, you didn't qualify anywhere else?
KEVIN KISNER: No.

Q. Now moving up on the top this week, where are you going for the rest of the season? Have you revised some of your goals and what are your goals and where do you think things are going to go?
KEVIN KISNER: I just want to be able to have a chance to win. That's always been my goal is coming down the stretch, coming down the last couple of holes on Sunday to have a chance to win. I don't really put performance goals that I have to win or it's a failure.

So obviously a huge goal of mine is the Ryder Cup. And if I play well enough and keep getting in contention, then I'm going to make it and that's kind of what I'm shooting for for the rest of the year.

Q. So that is a goal for you this year?
KEVIN KISNER: Absolutely.

Q. To be on the Ryder Cup team?
KEVIN KISNER: Absolutely.

Q. Is that your primary goal?
KEVIN KISNER: Absolutely.

Q. Great. Good luck.
KEVIN KISNER: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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