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FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC

June 9, 2016

Shawn Stefani

Memphis, Tennessee

Q. I thoughted it was tough out there.
SHAWN STEFANI: Yeah, the golf course has always played tough. We were lucky because we didn't have a lot of wind. You know, the course isn't super firm yet. I'm kind of looking for the golf course to get a little firmer throughout the week but I played really solid.

You know, it's been awhile since I played really well and I've been working hard and I know the game is close but you know how the golf course is. It was great to get off to a good start and play a solid round and kind of finish it off. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. Tell us about the eagle at 9. Pretty spectacular shot.
SHAWN STEFANI: Yeah. I was just trying to hit a good shot and just right of it and kind of let the wind bring it in. I guess when it came off the face I knew it was going to be good but I didn't know how good it was going to be and then it's up there and rolls in.

I don't even know if it spun back or rolled in. Kind of nice to see one go in. Everything else this year has been going the opposite way. It's nice to see one go in for a change.

Q. You had a nice bounce-back at the par 5. You dropped a shot at the short par 4 and came right back. You kept doing better each hole.
SHAWN STEFANI: I played very solidly, like I said. Swinging the club well. Giving myself plenty of opportunities. Missed a short par putt on 15. You got a getable par 5 on 16. Nice to kind of bounce-back with that birdie and hit some good shots on 17 and 18, but, you know, the course is not easy. I mean by no means.

But, you know, when you're playing well and you're doing everything well you can shoot a good score out here for sure.

Q. Now, another quick turnaround. You get to play when it's cool tomorrow morning.
SHAWN STEFANI: I don't know what it's going to be like in the morning. It's going to be nice. It was warm today but pretty dry. The ball was going pretty good for us. Like I said, the greens aren't super, super firm, super fast yet but I'm sure throughout the weekend they'll get a lot faster.

Q. Good playing.
SHAWN STEFANI: Thank you very much.

Q. I got to take you to 9. You're in the fairway. You want to get it close but there's no closer than putting it right in the hole.
SHAWN STEFANI: I'm actually looking to go hit a good shot in there because the pin is kind of on the left side. You can't miss in the rough left. Came off the club, looked good. I was kind of hoping it would be close and sure enough it hits and kind of rolls in.

I don't know if it spun back or not. It was nice to see one go in for a change. Most of them have been hitting and spinning back going in the water this year. It is nice to kind of see some balls going my way and shots going my way for the day.

Q. Did that kind of kick-start things? It wasn't like you were playing poorly on the front-9. When you see a shot like that go in, it's got to motivate you, might be one of those days.
SHAWN STEFANI: Yeah, definitely something like that can carry some positive momentum into the back-9 and I didn't really hit a good tee shot on 10 but I kind of -- I hit a great shot from where I was and not making birdie there.

You know, if I make par on 9, there's no telling what happens on 10. So, it was nice to see the momentum carry over today.

You know, typically this year the rounds haven't been doing that. But, you know, this is a different week. I like it here. Always have. You know, the town is great, the food is great, everything is great about this event. So, even St. Jude's. It's amazing. It's nice to be here.

Q. Going back to 2013 what you did here then is you struggled through a year. That has to help with some good memories of what happened here.
SHAWN STEFANI: Definitely, a golf course I've played well on. You know, in this game you want to go to courses that you have played well on. So, being here in the heat, the bermuda grass the zoysia fairways and the town is very nice. I feel like I have a lot of support. There wasn't a lot of people out there but just walking around and people remembering who I am and all that is nice. So, I feel like -- I feel like I'm kind of a home town kid over here. I do like it here and you know, it really is one of my favorite places on Tour to come.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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