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FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC

June 8, 2016

Robby Shelton

Memphis, Tennessee

AMANDA HERRINGTON: We'd like to welcome Robby Shelton here to the interview room here at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, making your professional debut this week. We're very fortunate this week, we have the last two amateurs who finished in the top 5 of a PGA TOUR event, they are making their professional starts here. We all remember Barbasol Championship last year, great finish. Can you kind of take us through the last year, the decision, timing to turn pro and what life has been like for you?

ROBBY SHELTON: Yeah. It's been very exciting just to turn pro. It's been a lot of fun. Over the past year, I've been thinking about it, since Barbasol. Ever since then, I knew I could do it, and after the fall season, after three wins, it's just really what I wanted to do, and my game was getting there. So I decided to do it right after the NCAAs, and here I am.

AMANDA HERRINGTON: So far how has your week in Memphis been?

ROBBY SHELTON: It's been great. I'm really grateful for this spot.

Q. Some of the guys coming out this week and in the next few weeks and obviously Bryson DeChambeau earlier this season, do you get any momentum because all of you guys are playing so well and you can come out and you've seen a guy like Bryson make an immediate impact, someone you've competed against?
ROBBY SHELTON: Yeah, for sure. Seeing all the young guys do it, I've played with them forever, and just knowing I can play with them and they're doing it, and me playing the Barbasol last year and coming in third, seeing that, I think it's possible. I just have to keep my head on straight and stay as calm as I can.

Q. How would you characterize the spring season and the way you finished up your college career?
ROBBY SHELTON: Yeah, spring season wasn't as good as I wanted. Only had one win in Puerto Rico, the first event of the spring, but I had a lot of top 10s, and I knew it was coming around, my game. After the NCAAs and regionals, I could feel it coming around. But I mean, it's getting to the point where I think it's really good. But the spring was a little disappointed, but I had already made my mind up, and I really wanted to turn pro.

Q. How long had this been a dream of yours, to play on the PGA TOUR? When did that start?
ROBBY SHELTON: Ooh, ever since high school I've always wanted to do it. I knew I had a talent, and it's just what I wanted to do my whole life pretty much.

Q. What's the biggest challenge when you turn pro? I know you're not even a day into it yet, but what do you think the biggest challenge is going to be?
ROBBY SHELTON: The biggest one for me is going to be just stay calm. I can't get too excited. Just stay level headed and just play my game. I mean, it's just -- I know I can do it, and after college I have a lot of experience, so I just have to stay calm. That's really all it is.

Q. What does it mean to you to make your debut here, and what's your mindset going into this week?
ROBBY SHELTON: It means a lot to me. I've been dreaming about this for a long time, and to finally -- it seems like it was so quick to happen. After the fall I made my mind up, and it's finally here, and I'm excited.

My mindset? Just really just play my game. I mean, I think I have it. Hopefully my putting is where I want it to be because my ball-striking is really good right now. Just hopefully the putts fall.

Q. What does your schedule look like the next few weeks?
ROBBY SHELTON: I'm probably going to Monday for Web.com next week in Nashville, and I know I got into the Barbasol. Besides that, just nothing really.

Q. Have you written letters?
ROBBY SHELTON: Yeah, I have. I've sent them all. I'm just waiting to hear back and just to see how I play.

Q. You said you made up your mind after the fall; did it factor in that there are so many guys out here competing for those few spots? I just mentioned you and all the other young college players. Was that going to factor into your decision at all about possibly getting starts on TOUR?
ROBBY SHELTON: Yeah, it was definitely a big factor. I didn't know there was that many turning pro actually, until I actually did turn pro and see how many spots were taken. But I mean, I'm just going day by day and just hoping to get into as many as possible. There's so many guys that turn pro that are really good and that are getting the spots right now, but I'm just waiting just to hear from tournaments.

Q. Do you think that would have influenced your decision if you had known all those guys were turning pro?
ROBBY SHELTON: No, I don't think so. I was ready. I knew it was my time.

Q. When you say you knew, how much did the result at Barbasol convince you that you were ready?
ROBBY SHELTON: I know it wasn't the strongest field, and I knew that, that it wasn't a big PGA TOUR event, but I played so well that week, and I still didn't even putt that great and came in third. I knew -- it gave me a lot of confidence to know that I can do it, and it for sure really influenced me to turn pro after this year.

AMANDA HERRINGTON: What expectations do you have for this week?

ROBBY SHELTON: Yeah, they're pretty high. I mean, I just -- I don't really know right now, but it's pretty high. Just like I said, if I putt well, I think I can do really well this week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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