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TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

August 4, 2016

Ben Martin

Cromwell, Connecticut

Q. Ben, great finish to the round; so-so start on the front nine, but really turned on the jets there on the back.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, I got off -- on the front nine I wasn't really expecting to shoot 65, but finally rolled one in on No. 9, probably 12, 15 feet.

Once that one got in, saw a birdie go in, started reeling them off. 30 in the back nine, so it was great start to the time tournament.

Q. It's certainly out there. There have been three 28s in the history of the tournament, and 30 is fantastic, especially the birdie, birdie, birdie finish.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, you know, I've been driving it well all day, but then I drove it in the water on 15 there, which is really a birdie hole.

So walked way there with a 5, but backed it up with a 2-3-3 finish. So really happy with the way I finished it off. One round down, three more to go. Certainly feel like if I can stay consistent and do the same things I did today, then see how it pans out.

Q. Got some time before the second round tomorrow, which you'll start on the back nine. Are you anxious to get that started the way you just finished?
BEN MARTIN: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I wish I could go play another 18 right now. Just rolled in three birdies on the last three holes.

Yeah, do a little practicing this afternoon and relax this evening and come out and hopefully do it again tomorrow.

Q. Strong finish. Birdies at 16, 17, and 18; 5-under par 65. Are you pleased?
BEN MARTIN: Absolutely. Closed out the back nine shooting 5-under. The way it started, made a lot of pars and then one bogey in the first 8 holes, but once I got that birdie going on 9 and made another one on 10 and to close it off with three more, you got to love that.

Q. 14 of 18 greens in regulation today. Irons were working, too.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, never hit it really close, but I think I was really consistent. I gave myself a lot of 10- to 15-footers, and fortunately I was rolling those in today. Seems like I am trending in the right direction throughout the year. Haven't had the season that I wanted to, but couple of events here left before the playoffs.

Q. What was it like at the time you were playing today? The golf course, how receptive was it?
BEN MARTIN: There was barely a breath of wind out there today. The greens were kind of soft. I think the course was really playing about as easy as it's going to play. The rough is up a little bit, but I think I drove in in the fairway most of the day.

Couldn't ask for better scoring conditions than this morning.

Q. Is it a fun course for you? Does it set up well for your eye?
BEN MARTIN: It is. I haven't been here since 2011. Just the way it worked out on the schedule this year. I'm happy to be back. I like the course. I think it is always fun to have a drivable par-4 coming down the stretch and two reachable par-5s.

If you can take advantage of those three holes and couple more wedges, you know, shoot 4- or 5-under every day and give yourself a chance to win.

Q. Don't be cross with me. You brought up to the drivable par-4 at 15.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah.

Q. It's been redesigned since the you were here in 2011 as you well know. That left front hole location, did you go for it today?
BEN MARTIN: I did. I drove it right in the water and made bogey.

Yeah, still 280 to the front, so I feel like if you get around the green you give yourself the best chance to make a bogey.

Q. So you mentioned it took a while to get kick started with the birdie on 9. Good putt? Good approach? What kept you going?
BEN MARTIN: It was a good approach. I drove it in the right bunker so didn't set myself up off the tee. Hit a good 9-iron in there about 12, 15 feet. Finally got one to go in.

I really didn't have a whole lot of good looks early in the round, but finally hit one decently close, got it to go in, and just that kind of kick started the whole day.

Q. When you have conditions like today do you basically run to your (indiscernible).
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, you know, it's about as easy as it's going to play. Just a breath of wind and the greens were soft, so the scoring conditions were as good as you can ask for.

Q. How about the final three holes? Take us through that, how good it feels to walk off after that.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, I rolled in good putts on 9 and 10 and then made a good one on 12, so it was just one of those days where you're seeing your lines, you're hitting your lines.

So 16, 17, and 18, I think I had about 15 feet on every hole, and I just was thinking, All right, just roll it on the line I see. That's all I can do.

Walked them all in felt like.

Q. Since you were here last the course has changed some. From what you remember back in '11 I think was your last time here and today, what they've done, especially with the bunkers, did that make it tricky? Any more difficult? Did it change the course at all?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, I don't remember the subtleties of the bunkering and everything enough from five years ago to really tell a difference.

For me coming back, it was more just kind of remembering the old layout. I didn't have my old yardage book or anything. In some aspects I was kind of like playing the course for the first time, because I don't really remember a whole lot of it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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