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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

May 12, 2017

David Hearn

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Q. 5-under after 36. You mentioned earlier the patience that is required to play around this TPC Sawgrass. Just give us your concept of that and maybe a little overview of your round today.
DAVID HEARN: Yeah, I think that I enjoy playing this golf course because I think it's a mental test from beginning to end. There's no real gimmie holes on this golf course and I was just saying to a bunch of the other reporters here that I feel like whether you get just a little bit out of position on this golf course it's so tough to get back in the right spot to give yourself a chance for birdie or par even. I enjoy that test. I think a lot of guys think this golf course can play really, really hard, but I enjoy that challenge. So it's been a good two days for me and I've had some good success here in the past so I'm looking forward to another good weekend.

Q. How much different did the course play today versus yesterday?
DAVID HEARN: For us, fortunately, I don't think it played too much different. We had the late/early. So being second group on the golf course this morning was definitely an advantage. We were able to hold some of the iron shots that were a little bit tricky late in the day yesterday, so I think the guys, as the day goes on today, if that wind picks up like it's supposed to is going to get trickier, but the golf course is playing great. It's playing firm and fast and I think that I enjoy that style of golf where you really have to focus on where you want that ball to land and what it's going to do on the ground. It's tricky to do that for 18 straight holes out here.

Q. Your results might not necessarily show, but do you feel like you've been trending towards this, trending in the right direction?
DAVID HEARN: I think so. If you look at the last couple months I've definitely been playing better, but nobody says that you have to play great last week to play great this week. You got to step up at some point in time and play golf and I feel like my game's been very close this year and it's been a few bad bounces her and there that have led me to not making as many weekends as I would like. I tend to be the type of player that I can play these hard golf courses well, so I don't see any reason I can't play well this week and I feel like my game is in good shape.

Q. You mentioned this course. You made the cut here every time. Was it right away you just felt at home here, it suited your game?
DAVID HEARN: Yeah, I think so. It requires a lot of different shot shapes out here. I think this, if you're kind of a one-dimensional player and you just hit draws or fades there's enough variety out here that it can be tricky. My caddie is from St. Augustine, Palatka Park, Brent Everson, and he loves being here and it's kind of a home game for him. So we just really enjoy this golf course, we enjoy the challenge and I think that both of us kind of try to step up this week and it's worked well for us in the past.

Q. Have you noticed some of the subtle changes putting-wise?
DAVID HEARN: Oh, yeah, absolutely.

Q. Have they been mystifying at times where you thought it might be one way or another?
DAVID HEARN: They changed just about most of the greens on the golf course have changed subtly to some extent. Definitely noticed on some of the ridges coming down, they softened them up a bit. I think in the past when some of the balls would get to the crest they would go right to the hole or past. They have changed a little bit, there's definitely if you have a really good memory of this golf course it might not help you as much as you think this year. It's very close to what it was, but they have made some good improvements and I think they have made it a little bit more accessible, especially on the par-5s and some of the other drivable holes, on 12, to give you some chipping areas and some options around the greens. So it's a good test.

Q. Two years ago you slept on the lead after the first round and were tied for third with a 6-under. What can you take from that experience going into the weekend this year?
DAVID HEARN: Actually the year before that I played really well and had a top-10 here. So I just know that we're only 36 holes into this tournament, there's 36 to go and you can't get ahead of yourself out here at any given time. So, for me, part of the reason I've had success on this golf course is my patience and just taking it one hole at a time and I just need to keep my head down and do that on the weekend.

Q. It's a chance to get a lot of things going if you have a big weekend. Is the Presidents Cup something on your horizon as well?
DAVID HEARN: Yeah, I haven't been off to the most stellar start to the season, so the Presidents Cup is certainly something that I would love to be a part of that team but right now I just want to try to string a few more good rounds together and see what happens. But if I can put together a nice week here and then maybe roll it into a few more, that's definitely something that would be on the top of my mind.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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