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THE HONDA CLASSIC

February 23, 2017

Martin Kaymer

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Q. Well played, six birdies, one bogey.
MARTIN KAYMER: Even the bogey, that was not a bad shot. I was very surprised, the ball on 14 went into the bunker, and that wasn't a very difficult up-and-down. The flag was very tough. But overall, take so much positive out of that day because I hit lots of fairways.

Q. What was the key to your driving today?
MARTIN KAYMER: I think I had a very good rhythm today. I felt very calm over the ball. I enjoy the golf course. When you stand on the first tee, you don't feel like you need to make five or six birdies. It's a ball-striking golf course, but even level par or 1-over par is a very good round.

Q. You topped it off with the chip-in on 17?
MARTIN KAYMER: That was a tricky one because it was right on the collar. I just thought if I could get it within three or four feet, that's a good shot, so it was a bit of a bonus.

Q. After the rain yesterday, what was the condition of the golf course like?
MARTIN KAYMER: I think it was probably the easiest -- it was very soft and there was not much wind. Once you miss the fairway, it was actually okay from the rough because the greens are so soft. I've not played the golf course in easier conditions.

Q. 13, where you hit the drive left and it hit the cart path, and then it almost went out-of-bounds but it hit a tree.
MARTIN KAYMER: I didn't see. I just saw the bounce on the cart path, but I don't know where it went.

Q. It would have been out-of-bounds, if it had not hit the cart path again and it kicked in the rough.
MARTIN KAYMER: I don't care. It is where it was. Sometimes usually you get unlucky. I take the lucky break sometimes.

Q. 5-under 65. How are you able to kick off 2017 in such good form?
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, obviously I played a little bit in the Middle East already, in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai where I usually start my season. Really enjoyed there and played well there in the past.

Fortunately I got an invite from the guys here at The Honda Classic, because I really enjoy the golf course. It's a tricky, ball-striking golf course. I stroked it really well. I didn't miss many fairways, and it was very playable conditions.

Q. You hit 13 fairways and 15 greens. You told me the other day, you really love this place because it putts the emphasis on ball-striking. How does that combination work well for you with the mind-set of playing well at a place you like?
MARTIN KAYMER: It's one of those things, that usually the golf course that we play these days, it's just get it out there somewhere and make some putts. But here you really have to think your way around the golf course. And the wind, usually when it's up, it's very difficult to play. And I enjoy that where you stand on the first tee and you don't feel like you're already four or five shots behind, because you need to make birdies. Even level par or 1-under par is a good score on this golf course.

Q. When you get a spot from them on a golf course you like, what's the mind-set like in terms of trying to really fulfill their faith in you and you doing well on a course you enjoy?
MARTIN KAYMER: Obviously I really appreciate them giving me a spot, but it doesn't change my mentality of playing the golf course. I try to do my very best. I try to help out the tournament as much as possible, and obviously ideally, I try to give myself a chance on Sunday to, yeah, to show the people that it was the right invite that they gave me.

But I came here a few times already in the past and I like the place a lot.

I played really solid and didn't make many mistakes today. I missed only one fairway and once you miss fairways on that golf course, it's very scorable. I made a couple distance putts which was very nice. And then a chip-in on 17, which was a bonus, but overall, it was just a very good day of ball-striking. And then on the golf course like this, it was playable and even shooting a very good score.

Q. Some of your biggest successes on very difficult courses: Sawgrass, U.S. Open. Do you enjoy playing tougher courses do you feel like that's to your benefit?
MARTIN KAYMER: The mind-set is different. You don't have to stand on the first tee and think you need to shoot 5- , 6-under par. I was very calm today. I enjoyed the challenge. It's never an easy golf course here but these are the easiest conditions you can get. But there's never really a hole where you can relax. Mentally it's very difficult to play here, and I enjoy that; where you need to think your way around the golf course and not just hit driver as long as possible and try to get it somewhere on the green.

So that's why I think I've done well on tough golf courses in the past.

Q. When you've had performances already almost historic and they are so dominant, is there any frustration of not being able to do that all the time?
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, it's impossible, but definitely you need to enjoy those moments as much as possible. But it's just one of those things, you have weeks, where it just works. You feel it well, you eat well, you sleep well, the people, the golf course, everything falls into its place and you have to enjoy it as much as you can because it doesn't happen often, like you said. You just need to keep going and enjoy that run and try to make that run as long as possible.

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