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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

August 11, 2016

Steve Stricker

Silvis, Illinois

STEVE STRICKER: Even after the rain, the inch of rain we got, the conditions were pretty good. I just didn't play that sharply. I bogeyed the three par-3s before No. 7 and short-sided myself -- all right pin locations and short-sided myself over on the right side and didn't get them up-and-down and didn't take advantage of a couple other par-4s that I had it in there on. No. 2 I had 220 yards to the hole and didn't make birdie. So a couple mistakes, and then a couple opportunities I didn't take advantage of.

Q. You come here 98th on the FedExCup points list. You're going to make it into the Playoffs. What are your goals going into this?
STEVE STRICKER: You know, to do the best I can. You never know what can happen. You could have a high finish right away at Barclays and move right up into the top 30 and all of a sudden another good week and you're in the TOUR Championship. You just try to play them as well as you can, and I've had some success over the years in those Playoffs, so I'm looking forward to getting back in there one more time probably. I didn't think I was going to be there, but excited to be there.

Q. Does 1-under here feel like over par, given your record?
STEVE STRICKER: A little bit. A little frustrating that I only shot 1-under. I wasn't very sharp today. I didn't take advantage of a couple opportunities. Bogeyed the two par-3s on the back side, and then I bogeyed No. 3 on the front, which is another par-3. I short-sided myself every time. Not very good iron shots. And then I hit some nice irons, and I didn't take advantage of some of them.

But the scores aren't quite as low it doesn't seem like. You know, the conditions were good, a little bit of breeze this morning. I don't know why the scores aren't as low, but usually we see an 8- or 9-under in there somewhere, and we haven't seen that yet. Maybe somebody this afternoon will do that.

I need a good one to get back in it.

Q. Do you think the pins were a little tucked today? Was that a 58 reaction maybe?
STEVE STRICKER: No, I don't think so. I think pretty much all the same pin locations that we normally see. If you miss the fairway, the rough is definitely a little thicker than other years, which makes things more difficult, and if you miss the green, it's a little more gnarlier around the greens. So it's definitely more difficult to get it up-and-down. Maybe that has something to do with it, I don't know. But like I said, we're the first wave, and there could be some good scores out there yet.

Q. You talked about a low one tomorrow. Obviously you've got potential here.
STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I've shot a couple low rounds here over the years, and I'm going to have to get one of those again tomorrow, I think. Or at least a good solid round heading into the weekend.

But you can't get too far behind here. It can run away from you. The leaders can run away. Right now I'm five back, maybe even six back, which is a long ways after one round, so I've got a lot of work to do.

Q. Is patience harder here?
STEVE STRICKER: It is. It is. I was borderline losing it out there today at times. It's a course where I've shot some really good rounds, and when I'm even par, it doesn't feel very good, and then ending up having three birdie opportunities coming in and get one of them, which helps a little bit, but it would have been nice to sneak in another putt or two on the way in.

Q. What do you think you have to do better tomorrow?
STEVE STRICKER: Got to make some putts and take advantage of the opportunities when I have them and not make the mistakes. I made three bogeys today, and if I don't do that, I shoot a 4-under round, which is pretty good. It's just too many mistakes today.

Q. Anything that you've been working on?
STEVE STRICKER: I've been working on my putting a lot. The stats say it's been good this year, but it's been a little up and down at times, not as consistent. But I've been working at it. I worked hard Tuesday night here. I put in a lot of time, and again yesterday, too, and some good ones but some bad ones in there, too. But we'll just keep plugging.

Q. We talked about being patient here, but you're kind of on a deadline now with the Playoffs and stuff. Was that in your mind?
STEVE STRICKER: It is, yeah. There's still a lot of golf left for the year. The Playoffs, I'm in the first one for sure, so I know I'm going out to Barclays, and anything can happen from that point on. I'm not worried about it. If I play well, I play well. I want to play well. I'm excited to go and try to play well, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, and that's been my attitude the last three, four, five years.

Excited to be going to Barclays, but like I say, you have one good tournament in the Playoffs, it does a lot of wonders for you.

Q. And then there's the Ryder Cup you mentioned yesterday; you can't carry that with you on the golf course, obviously?
STEVE STRICKER: No, no, and I'm not thinking about it out there. It's just trying to play the best I can here and do the best I can on every shot. That's been my objective.

Q. That is something you allow yourself to think about when you're not on the course?
STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I think about it, but I said yesterday in the media room, I've got to do something pretty special the last month. If I don't, I don't. I'm going to be there one way or the other, and I look forward to helping out in any way I can. But it's nice to think about it and have something to shoot for.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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