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THE HONDA CLASSIC

February 24, 2017

Martin Kaymer

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Q. How would describe that?
MARTIN KAYMER: I think I kept my score very well together. I didn't drive it as good as yesterday. I missed a lot of fairways today. But made a couple really nice up-and-downs, starting with the 10th hole, my first hole. Made a good par save there and made a good par save on 6, so really kept the round going.

Q. You were eight of ten in scrambling today, because you missed quite a few greens. That's good numbers, and around here, you have to do that, don't you?
MARTIN KAYMER: That's a very good number, because on the bermudagrass, once you miss it close to the greens, it's very difficult to judge. But I missed so many greens because I missed too many fairways. So it's very easy to explain, and I know exactly what I need to do this afternoon, go to the range and get ready for tomorrow.

Q. Did course conditions change much today?
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, it's definitely more difficult when you miss the fairways in the mornings because it's very wet, and then obviously it plays a lot longer. I thought the pin positions there were a little bit more difficult than yesterday, as well. Overall it was definitely more difficult than Thursday, because yesterday was probably the easiest way you can play that golf course.

Q. Confident about the weekend?
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, if I sort out that driver -- worked very well yesterday but today I struggled with it. Once I sort that out, I look forward to playing.

Q. A pretty solid round, even par. Patience, I would imagine is a big attribute around here.
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, especially if you don't drive it well. Yesterday I drove it really well and therefore I had a lot of chances. Today I missed too many fairways and kept my round going by making a few par saves here and there, so my short game was really short the last couple of days. Therefore, to shoot level par is never a bad score on that golf course, and a very good score the way I played today from the tee.

Q. Explain to us how difficult this golf course is if you miss it in the wrong spot.
MARTIN KAYMER: I mean, once you miss fairways, you miss greens, and then you need a sharp short game. Fortunately my short game was very good the last couple days. I could save a lot of missed shots. I could save pars. That was the key to shoot level par today.

After a good score like yesterday, you don't really want to shoot over par, and that was really my goal, to keep my momentum going and I think I kept the momentum for tomorrow. Just work a little bit on the range to get the driver on the fairway, and then off we go.

Q. And this afternoon, you say you're going to the range; is there any specific you've been working on or is it just one of those days where something is off?
MARTIN KAYMER: Just the rhythm. Yesterday I had a beautiful rhythm. I was really in control of my ball-striking. Today the irons were fine. My wedges, they were all good. Just the driver was a bit off. So could take two minutes on the range or maybe 15, but never longer than that.

Q. Even par 70, good position heading into the weekend, 5-under.
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, two completely different rounds. Yesterday I hit many fairways, many greens, had a lot of chances and today was a bit the opposite. I missed quite a lot of fairways but I kept my round going with a few up-and-downs that I made.

Started out with the first hole, the 10th hole here, missed the fairway and then I couldn't even go for the green. Hit it 80 yards short and hit it to three or four feet and made par there. Things like this, they really kept the momentum going that I gained yesterday.

Q. Is the course playing different?
MARTIN KAYMER: Today, I think today was quite difficult to play, because the wind direction has changed during those four or five hours that we played. The pin positions, they were a little bit more tricky than yesterday, and I always think, you know, when you play in the morning on the golf course like this, it's always a little bit more difficult because once you miss a fairway, you're in the wet bermudagrass. Very difficult to judge the yardages, if you can judge it at all.

Yeah, I think it was definitely more difficult today than yesterday.

Q. Are the greens getting faster today?
MARTIN KAYMER: They are a little bit firmer, for sure. Yesterday was very soft and very playable. So I think by Sunday morning, we have a golf course, the way the tournament wanted to have the golf course.

Q. How did you handle No. 6?
MARTIN KAYMER: I hit a fairly terrible drive way right and had to lay up and hit a great wedge shot to seven feet and made the putt for par. So things like that really kept my round going. It's a very hard hole today because the wind is into off the left. You don't want to aim at the water, so I think 80 percent of the players are going to see the right rough today.

Q. Good position for the weekend overall.
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, I think yesterday, you know, that was a bit of a bonus. I think I gained probably three or four shots on the field. Today, level par is a very good score, especially the way I drove it.

And level par on that golf course is never bad. So it's not an easy course, and usually you think when you play in the morning, they have better conditions, better greens. But I prefer to play in the afternoon here, because you don't want to miss those fairways in the wet rough.

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