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SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

April 1, 2017

Luke List

Humble, Texas

Q. Luke, what a run you got on the closeout, that opening 9. Tell me what happened starting on the 6th hole.
LUKE LIST: Yeah. You know, I knew I had some par-5s that I hadn't taken advantage of earlier in the week. I was fortunate to hit a really good fairway bunker shot, made a nice 12-footer, timed the wind right on 17. From there I knew I was able to take advantage of the par-5s.

Q. I thought it was really difficult playing conditions with the wind. You still managed to find 15 greens and making 8 birdies.
LUKE LIST: Yeah, it was. It was tricky. I backed off a lot of shots which normally I don't do. I was packing off almost every shot, and it just -- you have to commit to what you're doing and just pick the wind and go for it. Fortunately, I caught the majority of the winds right and we had some good clubs out there.

So, you know, the course is yielding -- the greens are so perfect, if you can kind of get the lines right, you can make some putts and I've been rolling it really nice the first two days.

Q. When you left 15th green, I said he'll take 3 pars right now and roll in a 25-footer at 16 for a bonus.
LUKE LIST: For whatever reason, I've been reading the greens well this week and I hit a really good putt on 17. Not the best on 18. Yeah, 3 pars coming in would have been nice. I stole one on 16.

Q. What are some holes and some locations where you should be looking at as this 3rd round wraps up?
LUKE LIST: Yeah. The wind is swirling, so 16, 17, 18, as you mentioned, you know, 16 when I hit luckily was right to left. It popped back in for a couple other guys and wreaked havoc. Kind of a tough up-and-down. 17 a tough pin. It's not an easy up-and-down. With the firmness of the green firming up a little bit, the dry wind, I think 17 is a really tough hole. 18 is a little easier down off the right. You kind of hit it hard at the bunker, the wind will take it. Still an intimidating hole.

Q. How long have you been working on this beard?
LUKE LIST: Pure laziness. I'm probably going to shave tonight. This is as long as my wife let's me.

Q. Really good playing. Conditions seemed to be the worst or toughest all week long. How were you able to go around at 65?
LUKE LIST: Sung kind of set the bar higher. I kind of just said if I can get some more greens, green putting really well, give myself more opportunities. Sounds kind of mundane, but I was able to do that today.

Q. When you start the day 11 back, what sense of target scorers, how do you approach trying to make up ground?
LUKE LIST: I had enough with my golf swing, I wasn't even worried about -- that's sometimes a good thing. You don't worry about the lead. You shoot a good round. If I'm able to do that tomorrow, if we get to play golf, I'll be happy.

Q. What did you figure out the first two days?
LUKE LIST: Kind of a setup thing. Kind of pulling the club inside a little bit. Had a good thing with my coach Jamie Mulligan. It's always tee to green and trying to get better. Had a good range session yesterday and was able to figure out a little bit.

Q. What can one round like this do?
LUKE LIST: Puts me in a little better position. I think Sung kind of separated himself, and Rickie is up there with his last three holes are not the easiest. If I'm within 4, 5five shots, I'd love to think I still have a chance. So, who knows.

Q. Is there a point today you started feeling like you could pile up a few birdies and things of that nature?
LUKE LIST: I tried to keep going. Whenever you make a bunch of birdies on the front-9, you get stagnant. I do, anyway. That mindset is to keep going. It's tough out there, you're not pushing the pins, you're trying to give yourself as many opportunities. And fortunately, I was able to do that and make a few birdies on the back.

Q. With Kang's start to the day, is it pretty easy to focus on your own game?
LUKE LIST: What he shot the first two days was unbelievable. I had enough to worry about with my own game. Rickie has done a nice job to get there close.

Q. Bigger perspective seeing how well Rickie was on Day 1, he was on Day 2 knowing the course was there, potentially to score with similar conditions?
LUKE LIST: It's in such great shape. The greens are perfect. Yes, the wind was up today, which is tough to get the clubs right, but I was able to get some really fair numbers and winds, and I timed it right I guess. If you get the right spots on the greens, you can roll some putts in. That's my goal tomorrow, to just keep hitting some greens.

Q. You said briefly if we get it in tomorrow. Do you have a sense --
LUKE LIST: I'm never good at judging the weather. They tell us to go play, we'll play. If not, we'll sit around and wait. Who knows. There's many different scenarios that can happen. I know those guys that are already in Augusta probably wish they could get out of here tomorrow, but if we have to play some on Monday, we have to. Looking forward to it regardless.

Q. Something about your game that allows you to deal with the wind?
LUKE LIST: I like tough conditions. To me, it's a premium on my ball striking. More attitude than anything. I worked really hard on that the last couple years, and especially this year, I feel like it's paid dividends for me just being as positive as I can. And so I was just trying to be relaxed out there. That seems simplistic, but sometimes it's really tough, especially when it's this windy.

I prefer tough conditions. I feel like I have a level head sometimes. Sometimes. But today I was able to do that. It's about as bad as it looks on the forecast. Who knows.

Q. You get a chance tomorrow to play in the final group. Do you like playing head to head with the leaders or one group ahead?
LUKE LIST: It doesn't matter. I know -- I won't be sleeping on a 54-hole lead. To me it doesn't matter, the last group or the second to last group. To me I've got to go out there and try to hit some greens and do all that stuff that I did today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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