	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 17, 2016

Daniel Summerhays

Oakmont, Pennsylvania

Q. Pretty ho-hum round, huh?
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: Yeah, that was a round to remember. I need to think a lot about that round, just sear it right into my memory.

I think at any level and in any profession, you always go through times where you feel like you're inadequate or you, you know, you're not good enough. And that round today is definitely going to be one that I can push the replay button on at times where you don't feel like you quite have it, that was really special for sure.

Q. How do you explain the zone you were in, especially on the back nine? Make that run.
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: Actually, I drove it great this morning. I shot 4 over this morning but drove it great. Hit a lot of fairways. Still hit some pretty good iron shots. My putting was off. The speed was off.

My second hole, I missed a little two and a half foot putt.

Next one, it was a little four-foot putt. Had three 3-putts this morning which is easy to do out here. I think I made a couple little adjustments in my putting. I was able to roll some, thanks to the USGA. They gave us a 45 extra minutes between our rounds so we could actually kind of push the reset button, which was really nice.

They notified us that they had double cut and rolled the green, so I was able to go down on the practice putting green and get a little better feel for it. So the putting definitely came around that second 18. Hit a lot of good putts. The greens were much faster. There's no question about that.

And I think mechanically, my swing, I continue to get better, continue to learn some things and how I react when, you know, the motor gets going a little bit.

So absolutely thrilled with my round and how I performed, especially on that back nine when you've already played 27 holes and you're tired. That's a lot of walking. I shouldn't complain to my caddie, but that's a lot of walking. So yeah, I'm absolutely happy.

Q. How does it change your mindset going into the weekend, now knowing that you're the top of the leaderboard and you've got a shot?
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: Yeah, you know, honestly, it's been a little while since I've -- probably since last year's U.S. Open. I was in the top 5, top 10 going into the third round.

I'm looking at it as continuing to gain experience. I'm sure my nerves are going to be racing for sure. I think that's natural. I think I'm going to embrace that, know that I'm going to be nervous.

But I think I continue to improve mechanically, mentally, and I'm looking forward to the challenge and whatever happens, happens. I'm not going to forget this round for sure.

Q. Where do you rank it in your career?
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: Oh, it's in the top two for sure. I shot 60 one time in my last year of playing college. I had a putt for 59 and made 12 birdies and two bogeys, shoot 60. But this was 65 on Friday at Oakmont in the U.S. Open, so that's got to be number one now.

Q. Where was that?
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: It was in Williamsburg, Virginia, at the Golden Horseshoe. It was the national championship course. It was the Ping Preview. You play the fall and on the national championship course. But yeah, this one's probably the top.

Q. I asked Shane Lowry -- you were talking about last year doing well. Shane did really well. I asked about momentum from that, did it give him confidence. He said it was less about confidence and more about comfort. Do you carry that over from last year?
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: I don't know if -- Shane may know something I don't. I don't ever feel comfortable out there.

Q. Those were his words.
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: No, exactly. But I think you continue to learn and you become more competent in what you're doing, and so even though the nerves and everything, you're uncomfortable, you know how to deal with the discomfort.

I would say that's kind of my mantra. I mean, it means a lot. It's exciting. But no, I definitely, you know, rounds like this, when you play so well against the best players in the world, it's supremely confident that it gives you.

Q. You weren't even in the field. Maybe you had a sense you would be on Sunday, but it wasn't official.
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: I had a roller coaster last week emotionally. Monday night, 36 holes, made about a nine-foot putt at the Columbus, Ohio, location to for sure -- I knew it was to get into a playoff. Made about a nine-foot putt for birdie. It went from the high, the next morning we had a playoff, six guys for five spots. I'm like oh, man, odds are good. I was the odd guy out.

And a week ago Monday -- or Tuesday morning, I'm walking to the car kicking myself, like how could I do that, six for five. And then through that week, phone calls, watching the tournaments in Europe and in Memphis, kind of seeing who could move up in the World Rankings.

Anyway, I kind of new Friday that I had a really good chance of getting in. Sunday, I got the call. But I'd already made some traveling arrangements and everything.

Again, I'm really enjoying this high right now. I feel like I can get better at mitigating the lows. Really try and just believe in yourself a lot and take a lot of joy and pride in what you do good.

Life will beat you up a lot. I'm really soaking this in. Roller coaster week, but I enjoy this high right now.

Q. You mentioned those feelings of inadequacy, but you've been a top 10 putter on the Tour for the last four years. Has there been a point recently where you felt that way and what rounds did you look back to get over that?
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: I've always felt pretty adequate in putting. No question. I've always been a great putter since I was a little kid. Kind of have a knack for it. Pretty good green reader.

But I think ball striking-wise, I've started to improve a lot. I've started working with my brother, Boyd Summerhays over the last nine, ten months and some feels are starting to translate into the ball flights that I want. That's usually the biggest thing for me. When I get a little nervous or whatnot on the course, it's usually ball striking wise.

I feel like I was really proud of myself today on that back nine. I was hit something nice draws. I hit a fade 5 iron in on 15 to about ten feet. Those are shots that in the past when I got going in the moment that wouldn't really turn out so well. So I'm really looking forward to the future and keep progressing.

Q. You were one few guys to birdie No. 6 today. What did you make of that new pin location in the back?
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: 6 was right on the front, actually, today. The par 3?

Q. Yes.
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: 6, the par 3, was around the front.

Q. Oh, okay.
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: It wasn't on the back today.

Q. Okay.
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: Well, this morning, it was on the back, but I made par this morning. A lot of holes today. A lot of hole locations.

Q. Great.
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS: Thanks so much, guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297