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THE BARCLAYS

August 26, 2016

Ryan Moore

Farmingdale, New York

Q. How was it for you today?
RYAN MOORE: It was great. I really hit the ball beautifully the last two days. Put it in a lot of fairways, which you just have to do out here, especially someone that hits it the distance I hit it. I can't hit 7-irons out of this rough. I can barely hit 9-irons out of this rough. I hit the ball really nicely. Honestly didn't putt all that great, especially yesterday. Made a few more today, so it was getting a little closer.

All in all, it was two really solid rounds, especially yesterday with the wind. It was so windy yesterday afternoon, and to keep it in a lot of these fairways was tricky.

Q. Talk about that a little bit. How was it different out there this morning?
RYAN MOORE: It was obviously softer earlier in the morning. There was a little more humidity today, so I think the moisture is going to stay on the greens. They were starting to get a little crispy in the afternoon yesterday, especially in all that wind. It's a much softer golf course than what we faced yesterday afternoon.

Q. What's the key for you to be successful here?
RYAN MOORE: Fairways. I mean, I'd rather hit a little less off the tee and have a hybrid into a hole than try and force it down there and end up with a 7- or 8-iron out of the rough.

So standing on every tee, that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to figure out, how do I get this thing in the fairway so I have a chance on the next shot.

Q. Through 36 holes, you're in a good spot at 5-under par. How have you been able to put it together through two rounds?
RYAN MOORE: I've hit the ball really well these first two rounds. I really controlled it. I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. Gave myself some great opportunities.

Honestly, the putter hasn't been great through these first couple rounds. I finally made a couple more today but overall, I was putting it in the right place. I put on the fairways, put it on the greens and gave myself opportunities.

Q. This is a big golf course and you're not known as a big hitter. What are your keys to succeed?
RYAN MOORE: That's why the fairway is so important for me. I can't hit 7-irons out of this rough. Even if it's dialing back on this hole to have a hybrid in; I'd rather be in a fairway hitting a hybrid trying to force it down there and trying to take off more angle and end up with 7- or 8-iron out of the rough that I probably can't get on the green. For me it's all about fairways and give myself opportunities from there.

Q. You had a bit of a rough stretch in the spring, concluding at THE PLAYERS. Since they have, you've made every cut including the win at the John Deere. What's that run been like?
RYAN MOORE: It's been good. It's been some better golf the last few weeks for sure. I've been putting in some great time off the golf course with a new trainer, Brian Chandler, in Vegas. Making in things not hurt that hurt for quite a while. It's amazing when you go out there, you kind of forget what it's like to make a golf swing and have something not hurt. It feels so nice when it doesn't.

So a lot of that has been because of that. Just body is starting to feel better, starting to move a little better than I was in a while.

Q. With the windy conditions yesterday afternoon, you were one of the lower scores of that wave. Did it put you at ease coming out this morning?
RYAN MOORE: No. This golf course, you're never at ease. Every single tee shot is difficult. You've got to put it in the fairway to have any chance of making birdies out here. It was a really solid round of golf yesterday afternoon. Honestly it could have been quite a bit better. I putted pretty terribly yesterday afternoon. So to have a round like this and kind of come back out this morning -- hit it really nice the front nine. Hit a few poor shots on the second nine but I was able to scrap out a good round.

Q. You mentioned the putter. Was it working better for you today?
RYAN MOORE: Slightly but still not where I want it. I guess it's probably never quite where we want it. We think we should make everything. But I definitely missed some very, very short, makeable putts for me. That was a bit odd. Put some work in this afternoon and see what I can do.

Q. Coming off a win a few weeks ago at the John Deere, was this kind of the best that you've felt heading into the Playoffs in your career?
RYAN MOORE: I would say so, yeah. I won the Wyndham a few years back heading right into it, but that was more had a good week out of nowhere and played great there, and didn't really carry much momentum in.

This time, putting a lot of good work in off the course in the gym. My body has been feeling better. You know, it's equalling good golf.

Q. When the Ryder Cup selections are made, getting a pick --
RYAN MOORE: Honestly that's probably the farthest thing from my mind. I'm just trying to play good golf and win golf tournaments and I'm trying to get to THE TOUR Championship.

I've been in good positions the last three years coming into these and I've played very poorly and not made it to THE TOUR Championship, which has been very disappointing the last few seasons. So I kind of changed my schedule a little this year and had it really geared towards the end of the season here. Took a little bit more time off May, June and July than I normally do.

That seems to be working; to win a couple weeks ago and be playing nicely early on this week, that's my goal. That's all I'm thinking about right now is getting to THE TOUR Championship, because that's the only way you can win the FedExCup.

Q. You just said that it's important for a medium hitter to hit less than driver to be in play and you hit hybrid. How many times in the first couple of days have you done that?
RYAN MOORE: It's not always hitting a fairway wood necessarily but for me, there's a full driver and then there's a control driver. The control driver goes 275 to 285 but it fits in the spacing a lot better for me on quite a few holes.

So that's what I kind of end up doing is I would call it a less-than-full driver, more control it out there and give myself a little more space before I through; or if I hit the full one and barely-push-it kind of thing, it can chase through. It's more kind of controlling it to those spots.

Q. Does this remind you at all of Winged Foot?
RYAN MOORE: Yeah, same designer. Definitely has some similar aspects. It's a very different golf course than Winged Foot. But it's very much a right-in-front-of-you type of course like Winged Foot is. Nothing too crazy. You've just got to put it in the right spots.

Q. Is this residual momentum from the win or is this you playing well?
RYAN MOORE: It's hard to say. I think it's just my game right now and where it's at and just kind of some of the work I've put in over the last couple months off the golf course.

And honestly, I think taking quite a bit of time off kind of in the middle of the summer, I just feel better this time of year than I have in the past. A little bit more rested and kind of enjoying playing golf a little bit more. Sometimes I've hit this point and I've been really worn out and kind of over it a little bit.

So that's why I kind of tweaked it and messed around with the schedule a little bit. I feel a lot better this year than I have the last few.

Q. You mentioned being pain-free. What physical problems have you had in the past that you had to get over?
RYAN MOORE: It was mainly my left ankle. I've just had some issues there, really for the last four or five years. Comes and goes a little bit but it's always there. And it's hard as a right-handed golfer trying to turn and push into that side. I end up kind of cheating my weight over there a lot instead of moving properly, which adds up to a golf shot that I do not like very much, which is a push-draw.

So yeah, honestly just to have it not hurting and kind of know it's not going to hurt and actually be able to move a little bit better is a big relief out there on the golf course. I mean, even just walking the golf course having less pain, it's nice. I forgot what that was like.

Q. If you could only have one: Being on The Ryder Cup Team or making it to East Lake, which would you pick?
RYAN MOORE: No comment. (Laughter) Anything else?

Q. Mutual of OMAHA, they aren't known for a lot of sports endorse comments. Curious how they came to you.
RYAN MOORE: There's quite a few of us out here actually. There's a handful in golf, yeah.

Q. The guy on the Golf Channel was saying he thinks there's kind of an old boy network, but with your match-play experience, you would be a great pick. How well do you think you would suit that format?
RYAN MOORE: I mean, yeah, it's something I would love and I do enjoy match play and team events and all that stuff. But the reality is, I have to play my way on. It's very clear to me that that's what needs to happen and that's what I want to do.

I don't know, honestly, I do not think about it at all. It is absolutely nothing that -- I'm trying to play golf tournaments and win golf tournaments, and generally that takes care of itself. It really is the farthest thing from my mind.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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