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SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 26, 2016

Gene Sauers

Benton Harbor, Michigan

Q. A great day for you, but walk us through the day.
GENE SAUERS: I like being up are early in the morning it was nice. You get fresh greens and I hit the ball really solid. Just tried to concentrate on just where I wanted to place the ball and just not have too many long putts, because you can get some really pressure putts out here.

But, anyway, I hit the ball really good and I made the putts that I was supposed to. Except for on 18 right there. I left it way short.

But that's all right. I played good, I played solid and that's what I expected coming here. Take one shot at a time, hit fairways and greens and not try to get too far away from those pins and just have opportunities.

Q. A lot of golf left to be played. But you're right up there. How does that feel?
GENE SAUERS: It feels great. It's a good feeling. To start off on the right foot. I did that last week in Birmingham, shot 66 on the first round and so I feel good about my game and my putting's coming around and, who knows, anything could happen. I got three more days to go, there's a long way to go, so just kind of pace myself.

Q. Birdie on 17. Can you take us through that one?
GENE SAUERS: Yeah, that was one that was 192 or so to the hole. Downwind left-to-right and I hit a 6-iron, I killed a 6-iron. And I didn't realize it got down in that swale right there. So I had about a 7- or 8-footer there for birdie and made that one.

Q. And then they announced yesterday that they're going to keep on bringing this back here.
GENE SAUERS: Eight more years, right? That's awesome. Every even year?

Q. Every other year.
GENE SAUERS: Right. Okay. Great. That's good.

Q. What do you think of this course and do you think it's earned that stature to be that?
GENE SAUERS: Sure, I think it has. It's in great shape, greens are superb. Everybody here at KitchenAid has just welcomed us with open arms. I was at the cocktail party last night and they gave us more gifts, so it's just awesome. I love coming back here.

Q. Tell me about the birdie at 15.
GENE SAUERS: Birdie on 15? That's the par-5? I hit driver down there, 6-iron. I hit a gap wedge and then spun it. Hit it on top of the hill and spun it back. Probably had like a 35 feet or 40-footer and made it. That was fun. It boosts your confidence up a little bit.

Q. What is it about the style of game you play and this course that matches up well?
GENE SAUERS: I hit the ball kind of high and I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens.

And it's just, you got to place the ball, kind of like Augusta, sometimes you got to shoot away from the pins because these greens are so undulated. You just got to play smart. Try to pull off a shot that you're trying to do. Hopefully, it works out.

Q. Could you see this kind of coming for you after the season you've had so far?
GENE SAUERS: Yes and no. I hits the ball really solid lately in the last month. Let's hope it keeps continuing. And I changed my putting style going to cross handed now and that's night and day difference. I wish I would have done it 10 years ago. I've always said, if I could just putt like these guys out here, I'll be in contention every week. So maybe I'm starting something.

Q. When did you start that?
GENE SAUERS: Three weeks ago. Houston and Regions and now here. Still kind of new.

Q. And why?
GENE SAUERS: Because I couldn't make anything the other way. I come up and out of it and hit them short, hit them long, it was frustrating. You see any of these guys out here, they will tell you. But I had to do something different.

Q. Did you play around with other putting styles as well?
GENE SAUERS: I tried the claw just briefly, but I didn't do it in competition or anything, just left hand low is what I've done in competition. That's pretty much about it.

Q. When I first saw your name at the PGA Championship -- and you played well there at Bellerive. So, throughout your journey to get to where we are now, you had health issues and so forth, but you bounced back and do you feel that you're just one of those guys that can really bounce back and survive and get through the tough times?
GENE SAUERS: I think I can. I don't know if you seen my arm and all this and my legs. I wish I had my phone I could show you some of the pictures. But I'm lucky to be alive.

And I just told myself, hey, just go out there and just swing within yourself and be patient. A bogey doesn't matter much anymore. It does, but you know what I'm saying? It's more about life.

Q. When were you able to get back to golf?
GENE SAUERS: I got out of the hospital June 1, 2011. And probably, my first round was probably the end of August. And I hadn't touched a golf club for seven years. And first time I played it was like a hundred degrees, I can't believe I made it. And I birdied the last three holes to shoot 73, I think, 1-over. And I said, if I haven't touched a golf club in seven years, I got to give this another shot. And I'm doing great. I'm playing better now than I played on the Regular Tour.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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