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VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2016

Graham DeLaet

Palm Harbor, Florida

Q. Graham DeLaet, 68. If we can start with this one first at 7.
GRAHAM DELAET: This one I actually hit I thought a pretty decent iron shot in there and kind of got gobbled up. I got a gust of wind.

That was a huge bonus. I made. I haven't made a putt outside of ten feet all week. Nice to see that one go in.

Q. Par 5, 14.
GRAHAM DELAET: Got away with a poor tee shot here. I hit it way right and perfect line at the green and hit a really good 3-wood. I wasn't really sure exactly when it was in the air because it wasn't much of a reaction up at the green but as soon as I kind got out here, it was three feet. Pretty nice to have a tap-in eagle.

Q. The camera lost it in the air.
GRAHAM DELAET: I wasn't really sure where it was, either.

Q. Obviously as you enter the Snake Pit, this is at 16.
GRAHAM DELAET: Probably one of the best iron shot of the day. Cut down 8-iron. Perfect distance. Another kind of tap-in birdie.

Q. How much are you doing ball-striking-wise?
GRAHAM DELAET: I didn't actually hit my driver all that well. Hit a loose one on 10 and 11 and loose on 14, the par 5. I was able to get away with them. Made a couple good pars on the back-9 to keep things going. Finished well.

Q. Everybody knows you as a terrific ball-striker. How do you deal with this and handle the pressure and break through and you have another great opportunity tomorrow?
GRAHAM DELAET: My plan is to go and win tomorrow. I think I'm politically correct and say the right things on Saturday and, you know, I'm going to go out and try to win this golf tournament tomorrow. That's my goal.

Q. Nice play, 3-under par 68. Talk about that eagle at 14, the driver out of the rough.
GRAHAM DELAET: Yeah, it was a 3-wood but I hit a loose tee shot there and was lucky. Normally can't see that green at all from the fairway.

I was so far right and kind of up on the little perch there and had a perfect look at the green and just ripped a 3-wood. Wasn't really sure exactly where it was because there were trees in the way.

As soon as we kind of saw the green looked like it was really tight and as we got closer it didn't get any further way away from the hole.

Q. The wind was really playing havoc. How was it out there?
GRAHAM DELAET: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday the wind was straight out of the Southeast pretty much for the entire day. Yesterday it kind of switched and today kind of bouncing around. Tough to commit to shots, but I think my caddy and I, Julian, did a really good job today making sure we committed to what we thought the wind was at and actually I thought I hit a great shot into 18 there and little surprised. I think we had a little bit of help. We didn't misjudge many.

Q. One back headed into Sunday for the beard.
How big was that to close things out in that fashion to jump yourself up the leaderboard?

GRAHAM DELAET: It was good. In all honesty, I didn't quite feel like I had it today, especially off the tee, like I hit a bad one on 10, 11, 14. Luckily I was able to make good pars on 10 and 11, making that eagle and getting to 2-under par.

My goal was to get to 3 walking off the first tee. I was able to do that, I knew I would be right in the hunt, if not leading. Bill played a good one. I have a bit of a shoot-out tomorrow.

Q. Did you think that you would sneak into the final group for Sunday if you got to 3 today?
GRAHAM DELAET: I wasn't really worried about the final group. If I shot 3-under, 68, I would be in really good shape going into tomorrow.

Q. What's working so well for you this week?
GRAHAM DELAET: You know, as much as anything I think a good mindset. Just a little bit of a struggle this year. I feel like I've been playing really well and not getting anything out of.

I played good at Honda a couple weeks ago and finished 5-over on the last four and ended up finishing 50th.

I haven't -- I've been getting frustrated and this week, this is a good golf course to really test your patience, but knowing you're going to make bogies out here and trying to move along.

Q. You're known as a ball-striker. How much does a course like this feel comfortable for you?
GRAHAM DELAET: This is a good course for my game, no question. You can't slop it around this place. You got to be pretty much on point especially with the wind kind of bouncing around and was playing havoc with us a bit today. We made good decisions and played well.

Q. How would you describe your season so far? You said you were getting frustrated.
GRAHAM DELAET: That's basically what I would say. It's been kind of a frustrating year. I got off to a good start in Hawaii, finished 7th there. Kind of then been making most cuts but finishing 50th. Feeling like I'm playing a little bit better than that. It only takes one week to kind of get things going for me out here.

Q. Because you've been on a Presidents Cup team and people think you're one of the best players on Tour without a win. Is that on your mind? Are you feeling like you are close?
GRAHAM DELAET: Yeah, I think tomorrow is going to be the day.

Q. You do?
GRAHAM DELAET: I'm going to go out there and try to win this golf tournament. Every time in this position I kind of say the politically correct things. I'm going to go and win this golf tournament tomorrow. That's my plan.

Q. Question about winning, you get that a lot but in Canada we've seen you do it before, won three times up there. Do you draw on those experiences at all?
GRAHAM DELAET: For sure? College I won and it's been a long time. It's the hard thing about this game. I haven't lifted a trophy since 2009 and feel like I've had a pretty good career.

It's tough to win out here and I know that. Got a good opportunity tomorrow and I just need to play good golf and should have a chance.

Q. Does it get harder each time?
GRAHAM DELAET: I don't know. It's hard every time, I think, but I think once I kind of break through, I hope that that will kind of make it easier and know that I have it in me but, you know, right now I know that I have what it takes but I still haven't ever gotten it done. That's kind of the next step in my career.

Q. What's been the reaction to the beard?
GRAHAM DELAET: Most people like it, I guess. I mean there's a lot of comments especially on a Saturday when people get drinking. It's been fun. I'm not doing it for any specific reason other than just kind of being myself I guess.

Q. Security hasn't stopped you or anything leading you out of the premises? The kids like to grab it and play with it?
GRAHAM DELAET: They're starting to a little bit. It doesn't hurt as much. When they grab my chest hair, that's it.

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