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SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 14, 2017

Kevin Kisner

Honolulu, Hawaii

JOHN BUSH: We'd like to welcome Kevin Kisner after a 10-under par 60. Just a fantastic round out there. I know a little bit of disappointment that that last putt didn't go in, but just get your comments on an excellent day.

KEVIN KISNER: It was fun all the way from start to finish. Hit it great. Gave myself a lot of looks. Obviously I made a ton of putts. That's what happens when you shoot 10-under. Can't be that upset. I hit a good putt, hit a good shot and then it was fun coming down the stretch. Almost felt like you were in kind of the heat to win. That was fun.

JOHN BUSH: That same hole yesterday you eagled to make the cut and now you're right in the thick of it going into tomorrow. Maybe not right in the thick of it, but you've got a better chance.

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, feel way better about my position than even last night. I didn't even know if I was going to make a cut. Was struggling the first two days and not scoring the way I wanted to. And then that's why you've got to keep grinding. That's why you stay in it and always keep grinding as much as you can, because you never know what's going to happen.

I went birdie, par, eagle yesterday to make the cut and to shoot 10-under today to be in the top 5, that's what it's all about.

Q. At what point did you start thinking 59 today and what goes through your head?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, on 5, I hit a good shot in there like 12 feet and 7-under, I thought I had to make that one to have a really good chance and I missed it and then I blocked it in the trees on the next hole. Then I quit thinking about it and went out and pushed it out and ran up there up like three feet and I made that for birdie. Kind of things that happen when you shoot 10-under.

But not really again until maybe I thought on 8, I knew I had to make it to have a shot and whenever it went in, I was like, here we go. Hit two great shots and got a good look.

Q. On 9 it's going towards the hole?
KEVIN KISNER: When I first looked up, I said dead center, that's the first thought in my mind to tell you the truth. Brian put it on the same line on the other side of the hole. His went right and in, so I thought mine was farther left and in and it kind of bobbled over to the right, too. Those greens get a little grainy like I'm used to at home, and the grain was going right, but I still thought it would go left.

Q. What clicked today that had not been clicking those two days?
KEVIN KISNER: It was weird, the first day, I hit it great, and I was minus four strokes in putting, which I can't do with my game. So the second day I putted better as the round went on but I hit it worse. So it's kind of one of those deals that I had to make putts. And then today I hit it like the first day and putted great.

Q. Off-mic.
KEVIN KISNER: I had 160 and hit 8-iron. I hit six-iron yesterday.

Q. There's been 41 rounds of 60 or better in TOUR history better and 25 percent over the last five years. Can you see a trend? Can you see it going more in this direction, and if so, why? And if not, don't bother answering.
KEVIN KISNER: I'd say yes.

Q. Then you have to explain it.
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, everyone is hitting the ball so far, the courses are just becoming easy to them. More and more kids I see coming out here in shape, ready to play, and are not scared. So I think the game is headed in the right direction, if you want to see a bunch of low scores.

Q. Is it fun?
KEVIN KISNER: It's fun that way. But I want to hit it 400 yards, too.

Q. Do you see it as kind of an evolution like we've seen? People talk about the four-minute mile and I'm sure there are other examples I can't think of, where that was the standard and now this is the standard, where the entertainment level is probably the same -- or could be, anyway.
KEVIN KISNER: The entertainment value to me would be in make birdies and eagles and everybody -- the U.S. Open, that's what I grew up knowing.

You know, the only issue I have with how they are making the golf courses is it almost sets it up for the bombers because they are just making them longer and harder, and the kids don't care, because they just keep hitting it further. That's why I think it's such a great golf course. You can have bombers win here or short guys.

Q. People who hit it short --
KEVIN KISNER: Not anymore. I was watching Trey Mullinax behind me where he was hitting it 40 yards past where I was driving it. And this is the type of setup where I feel like I can drive it because it's fast and firm and I can just keep it running. But the ball, the way they are carrying the ball is outrageous (ph).

Q. Would it be unfair to say this is an easy golf course given what's happened over the last two days?
KEVIN KISNER: It's easy with these conditions. We're used to 20-mile-an-hour wind and it's a totally different ballgame.

Q. Does that take away from the quality of the golf course at all?
KEVIN KISNER: I think it's great. I think it's just what we needed. If there's no defense, then you ought to be able to make birdies. If there's wind, you ought to be struggling. It's the defense.

Q. Have you ever shot a 59?
KEVIN KISNER: In putt-putt once.

JOHN BUSH: Kevin, great round. Appreciate your time.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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