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U.S. SENIOR OPEN

August 13, 2016

Miguel Angel Jimenez

Columbus, Ohio

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, it's my pleasure to welcome Miguel Angel Jimenez into the Media Center. Rounds of 68, 70, and 69 for a 54-hole total of 207, 3 under par, and currently our leader in the championship.

Miguel, really good playing today in what seemed like difficult conditions with the wind out there. How did the wind affect how you were playing on the course?

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Well, as you say, the conditions, they are tough today, especially because of the wind, no? The greens were softer on the first two rounds, but it's the gusting wind there that it's not easy to choose the club, the right club. Sometimes it will go a place that you don't to, you know.

But to say that, it's been -- comment on the golf course, I'm sure people are going to make bogeys because the golf course is tough. With these gusting winds, it's going to happen. It's going to be difficult to make birdies. Patience, that's the key today.

THE MODERATOR: And you made four birdies today. Can you go through your card and tell us what clubs you hit in and how long the putts were, starting on the 2nd hole, your first birdie.

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: I hit the driver to the hole and hit the ball like five foot or less.

THE MODERATOR: Knocked it in there. On the 7th hole, made your next birdie.

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Next birdie, 7th hole.

THE MODERATOR: Just after the par 5.

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Yeah, I had a good lie, driver from the tee, and then I hit a wedge, and it's like six, seven meters.

THE MODERATOR: And then you birdied the 12th hole as well.

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Driver, 6 iron up, wedge, seven meters.

THE MODERATOR: And then bogeys on 13 and 14, but came back with a really nice birdie on 15.

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Made a bogey on 13. Hit a nice driver. A nice, big gusty wind at the moment. I hit my 7 wood, but I hit the ball a little bit too much, and then just an almost impossible shot. Put it on the green in two shots.

Then the next one, par 3, 260 meters to the hole. I hit a 7 wood. Also, gusting winds was right to left. Poor shot from the rough there and two putts and bogey.

But then on the next, I hit my 3 wood, hit a nice wedge maybe four meters.

THE MODERATOR: Made that. And the bogey on 16.

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Bogey on the 16. I hit a 4 iron and then I hit a 8 iron. And then gusting winds get the ball and travel all the way past the pin. I putted it in there. The ball never stops, hit it into the wind there, and roll, roll, roll. Four meters for par, two-putts.

THE MODERATOR: Very good. A 69 today.

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Nice on the 17 as well. I hit it, gusting wind there. Four meters past the hole for birdie. And then a beautiful second shot also on the 18th, another for birdie on the last hole. It was raining there. It slowed down and went right to the middle of the hole and stayed short of the hole. But played very solidly.

THE MODERATOR: You led after 54 holes in the Senior Open Championship as well. Didn't bring it home, but tomorrow it appears that you'll have the lead heading into the final round. What do you have to do tomorrow to get the Senior Major?

MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Just keep playing golf and give myself patience. That's the main thing. Whatever happens happens. Obviously, at the Open in Scotland, I lost that tournament there without playing bad, you know, and here tomorrow we have to play 18 holes, and whatever happens happens. Just keep focused and enjoy yourself. That's the main thing.

Q. I'm sorry. Did you say you carry a 7 wood?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Yes.

Q. Can you kind of go through the makeup? What's your first iron?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: I have a 4 iron.

Q. First iron is a 4 iron?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Yes.

Q. What is the 7 wood equivalent to?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: A 3 iron. I use that 20, 21 -- with the wood, the ball fly a little bit higher. On the hard greens, it's easy to stop, or at least less.

Also on the golf courses where you have this rough, and you meet the rough sometimes, it's good to have a 7 wood where you can go a bit on this kind of rough. With the 3 iron, it's impossible.

Q. And you seem to have your distance control really dialed in today. In fact, you hit it closer on 17 and 18 today than anybody else in the field. Is that something that's just come to you this week? Or is that something that's been --
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: No, you know, I'm always very consistent on my distance with my clubs. When I hit a good shot, I know what my club's going to do. I've been hitting good. Then I go the distance. The ball have to be close to the hole.

Q. What makes these greens so difficult? It seems like a lot of guys were coming up short. What's the challenge here on the greens?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: There is a lot of movement. Sometimes you see the line, you think it's going to break more. It didn't break that much, sometimes it breaks more. You know, there's these little moves there underneath, but it's a very good golf course with beautiful greens. All of them facing to you. And as I said before, they are fast movement, not easy to putt for anyone. It's good.

Q. You said whatever happens happens. You just want to enjoy yourself out there. Is it easy for you to enjoy yourself?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: They try to tell me the same thing. Of course whatever happens is going to happen. You don't know. You don't know what will happen tomorrow. The only thing you need to do is enjoy yourself because it's the only way you can be successful. You don't see anybody, anything in the life that is not enjoyed. If not enjoyed, have no success. No sense. You have to enjoy yourself.

And then tomorrow we're going to enjoy another 18 holes on a beautiful golf course. Ultimately, I want to win the tournament, I want to win my first Major. Of course I'm going to try. But the main thing is focus on your game, enjoy yourself, and let everything happen. Whatever happens happens.

Q. You're known for enjoying yourself. Is that a fair estimation, a fair way to look at you? You just enjoy life?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Of course. Of course you have to enjoy yourself, and I enjoy myself. You look at my office, no? It's a great life, no? That's what I want to do in my life is play golf. I will do what I want to do in my life for a living, and golf is not my job. It's also my hobby. Of course, when I finish here, I'm going to have a big fat cigar with a nice glass of wine and enjoy my wife and my family and my people who are here, you know.

Q. Miguel, there was only one birdie at 18, I think, today. Did the rain impact your putt there? Did that play any role in it?
MIGUEL JIMINEZ: Yeah, that ball lost its speed because the humidity got it with the drops coming. Then I went to hit a nice putt right on the line, just stayed short. But it runs in the moment. It's a pity it come the water there at the wrong moment.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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