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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

May 14, 2016

Kevin Chappell

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Q. A bit of a roller coaster round for you?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, it was.

Q. What was your reaction to difficult conditions out there?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Obviously I probably didn't notice it personally until the back nine. I saw Bill and Billy had their struggles on the front, and I was aware of how quick the greens were and the conditions, but I had the ball in play and was in position a lot. It wasn't as noticeable for me. And then I got out of position a lot on the back nine, and it showed.

Q. The shot on 18, you were obviously teetering. How much were you thinking about, don't be on the highlights forever doing --
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Definitely never crossed my mind. I wasn't worried about what anyone else ever thought.

Q. About falling in?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Oh, you asked about being in highlights forever.

Q. No, I mean, if you had fallen in.
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, I think it's one of those things you're not going to let yourself fall in. I mean, it's a shot you don't practice. It's one I wish I could get myself to hook the face and hit a hook up there, but you're just not going to let yourself do it. You pitch it out and try and get up-and-down, and I didn't do it.

Q. How would you describe the greens today?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Dead. Balding. I don't know. They were just fast, and you can't really sole your putter. It's constantly sliding, and it's really hard to find square. Everyone is playing them. They actually are fairly receptive for how quick they are, so it's kind of a strange combination.

Q. Billy was talking about how well you were playing through 11 holes. Just talk about that stretch, especially given the conditions.
KEVIN CHAPPELL: I guess for me, you've got to go back further than the first 11 holes today. I was 2-over par for the golf tournament standing on the 9th tee yesterday and played the next 18 holes in 60. You know, that's where my golf was played this week so far. I birdied the last five yesterday, get off to a great start today, fairly lucky honestly. I hit a terrible tee shot off the 1st, draw an awfully and swing as hard as I can at a 9-iron from 140 yards, and the ball comes tumbling out, rolls up to six feet, catches the slope and I make it. Okay, great. That's kind of how golf was going for me at that time. Same thing happens on 2, I overdraw it, I'm in the rough left and hit 4-iron from 250 yards, and you hit it and you just kind of wait for an applause or a groan, and all of a sudden literally Billy Horschel had hit already and they started clapping when his ball was in the air, so my ball had to do something crazy and catch a slope and make eagle.

But the difference on the back side, I just wasn't in position, and it showed, and it's hard to be confident with anything out here when you're out of position. You don't know quite how the pitch is going to react if you hit it solid, so you putt it from the fringe, and it's tough.

Q. What are you expecting this place to be like tomorrow?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: I expect a change. I don't -- you know, I don't think the TOUR can continue to allow the trajectory of the golf course to continue to be firm and fast. I think they'll get some water on it and try and get the greens healthier. I mean, they'll still be fast, but I don't -- I'm sure my group is not the only ones talking about the conditions.

Q. The putt on 17, how tough was that?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: I mean, it's at least a ball outside the hole from three feet, four feet. But I watched Billy Horschel just touch it coming down the ridge, and it goes eight feet by. Shouldn't be thinking about hitting it eight feet by from four feet, but you can't help it.

Q. With plenty of golf still left, there are over 50 players who have had at least one double bogey this round. What do you say to that or think of that?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: What happened to the other 28? (Laughter.)

I think it happens out there, and there's enough hazards in the greens themselves. You can get in the wrong side of it even in regulation and have a good four-putt probably.

Q. You said you were at 9 yesterday. Was the thought let's just do what we can do? Was being in contention even a remote idea?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: I mean, I'd be lying to say that I thought I could get back in contention, but it's a place that if you can get within 10 of the lead going into the weekend, typically you can get out early ahead of the leaders and the leaders are dealing with these conditions. You know, it gets firm and fast here. My goal immediately turned to making the cut, and I needed to start with getting a birdie putt on No. 9, and I was able to do that, made an eight-footer, and then birdied 10 and 11, and all of a sudden I'm on the cut line again. The rain delay really helped me. I found a rhythm and ran off, I guess -- I was 8-under my next seven holes.

Q. How do your hopes and emotions change when you have the front nine you did, when you have the spell you did on the back, holed out for eagle, heading to 17, that must have been a change for you?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, it was. I showed some emotion there on 16. That's kind of what -- I felt like I needed that. I was kind of treading water there on the back nine, borderline drowning, and to hole a chip and feel like you get some momentum back, and then you hit a great shot into 17 and miss, but you still have momentum. I just played 18 awfully.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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