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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

July 29, 2016

Robert Streb

Springfield, New Jersey

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon. Welcome back to the 96th PGA Championship, Baltusrol Golf Club.

Pleased to be seated with Robert Streb, who put up an historical 63 today. You're the 28th player in history to put up that number, so welcome to that club. This is the 30th time it's ever been done.

Let me ask, were you aware on your last hole, which was the ninth?

ROBERT STREB: Yeah, I didn't make a very good putt at it on 8. I was just trying to give it a chance; if it went in, great. If not, it was still a good round. Happy to join the club that seems to be ever-growing.

JOHN DEVER: That's true. Now you haven't put forth your best golf earlier this year at the three previous majors, but what's different this week at Baltusrol? What's going well for you?

ROBERT STREB: You know, most of the year has been a big struggle. Kind of been a struggle since the PGA last year. Kind of felt like I kind of found something with my golf swing the last two weeks. Started hitting it kind of solid, feeling a little bit like my golf swing again, and obviously made a bunch of putts today.

Q. When did 63 cross your mind? Was it after the putt on 7?
ROBERT STREB: Yeah.

Q. And you just smiled for the first time I think all day. What were you feeling inside when the putt went in on 9?
ROBERT STREB: I was pretty excited about it. I was waiting on it to break, waiting on it to break and it finally turned there at the end. But it was a great round. Happy to be a part of that 63 club I guess.

My putt on 8 was fairly pathetic effort (laughs) but made up for it on 9.

Q. Did you see the plaque for the last 63 --
ROBERT STREB: I saw it the other day, Thomas BjÃ¶rn -- who? I missed Nicklaus --

JOHN DEVER: I think both put up --

ROBERT STREB: They didn't just put that plaque down there for no good reason (laughing).

Q. Has there been any sort of hangover effect after last season, making THE TOUR Championship, getting a win for you this season?
ROBERT STREB: Yeah, I just struggled with my expectations a little bit. Kind of thought I would keep it going, and it's been tough. Probably learned the hard way, you've got to start over again.

But you know, the ball-striking and the putting has been a little difficult this year and just been trying to hang on by a thread. Obviously it's coming together this week, which is nice.

Q. So that being said, what changes for your mind-set now? You're co-leader in a major championship and you're going to be in the final pairing tomorrow. Just sum up where your head is at going into that?
ROBERT STREB: I'm sure it will be busy, Saturday at a PGA. But just try to stick to what I'm doing. Try to do the same things we've been doing the last couple days, and hopefully it's good enough.

Q. There's an awful lot of activity, as you would expect, on 16, 17, 18 late in the day. I've got to ask you, how many people did you have out there with you on 9 for this historic moment?
ROBERT STREB: It was pretty noisy for the 15 people that were out there (laughter). They obviously knew what was going on. They made a little racket when the putt went in.

Q. What was it in your game that you found all of a sudden? What's been the difference?
ROBERT STREB: Just kind of tweaked my swing a little bit, and I don't know a better way to put this, but it kind of feels like my golf swing again. May not hit it perfect or anything, but it kind of feels normal again. I don't feel like I'm trying to do everything I can to hit it straight. I can just kind of take a swing at it and catch it solid for the most part.

Q. Are you saying you were trying something different and you went back to what used to work?
ROBERT STREB: I wasn't really trying to change it. Just I felt like everything had been pretty good but I was just out of whack and seemed to have kind of found it this week.

Q. Just looking ahead to tomorrow, is it difficult to look at that scoreboard and see Stenson and Day kind of just looming there, a couple of guys that are obviously pretty hot right now; just kind of what are your thoughts going into the weekend.
ROBERT STREB: It's a major. One of those guys is going to be there. They are always there.

Just try not to get too hung up in what's going on, and try to stick to the golf and see if I can have a little fun while I'm at it.

Q. Was there a point at all this spring or summer where things kind of reached a tipping point or where the frustration was especially high for you on the course?
ROBERT STREB: Yeah, it's been that way for awhile. Last week, it was kind of a big help. I was playing pretty bad and I was 4-under my last four to make the cut, and then shot 66 on Saturday.

Sunday wasn't great, but it at least kind of gave me a little something to, I don't know, I guess chase after. Kind of kept me going a little bit.

Q. You had a late pairing in the major championship last year at the British Open with Jason Day. What kind of things will you draw from that, and also your strong finish in the PGA last year going into this weekend?
ROBERT STREB: Probably try to not get caught up in what everyone else is doing. Sometimes playing with those guys, you get caught watching them.

But just try to, like I said, stick to what I'm doing and see if I can do a little better. The weekend at the PGA last year was good, so hopefully I can do a little better than that.

Q. Did you see a 63 out here when you first got here?
ROBERT STREB: No. I saw it had been done before, but wasn't really seeing it. Obviously when it gets soft, things change a little bit. But I felt like the course was long enough; it was going to be tough to make a lot of birdies.

Q. Secondly, you've got pretty good control of your emotions, but when you go almost a full year in the US without a Top-10, how much of a struggle is that internally to keep your head up?
ROBERT STREB: It's hard. Luckily I had that win to kind of lean back on for next year, but it was getting pretty aggravating. Trying to I guess do my best to stay positive and put the frustration aside, which sometimes isn't the easiest thing to do.

Just kind of got off to a slow start. Augusta was kind of disappointing. My start at Oakmont was kind of frustrating, too. So it's just been I guess struggling with my own expectations and playing poorly at the same time; it's been a little tough.

Q. What was your goal for this week?
ROBERT STREB: Just to see if I could play some good golf and have fun. Obviously it's going pretty well, but like Doug said, I haven't played well, and so my expectations are pretty low, which maybe is a good thing.

Q. And was there a key putt out there or something that got you into a good groove? Tell me about the finishing birdies, three of the last four.
ROBERT STREB: Yeah, I was hitting them pretty close on the back nine. Had a good look for eagle on 18. And then missed that.

2, I made a pretty good putt for birdie, which kind of picked me up a little bit.

I made a nice par putt on 5. Poured them in on 6,7 and 9. Kind of got it going again.

Q. Did you and Steve have any kind of conversation before your putt on 9 or after your putt on 8?
ROBERT STREB: About 63? No, I'm not sure he realized it until he paid attention to the board there on 9. I knew, but I'm not sure he cared, which is kind of backward, right.

JOHN DEVER: Robert Streb, 68,63, 9-under, and have a good evening. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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