	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY NATIONWIDE

June 1, 2017

Jason Dufner

Dublin, Ohio

Q. Ever hit it on 18 in regulation before?
JASON DUFNER: I don't know. I think in '15 I did the same thing, hit the first 17 year and missed is 18.

Q. Must be gutted?
JASON DUFNER: No, I'm okay, I'll get over it.

I like this golf course. I didn't have a lot of history here that was memorable before the Presidents Cup. I played some good matches, kind of decided I was going to come back. And I've been back in 14, 15, 16, 17. So I've had a lot of good rounds here, I've had mid-60 rounds and some 68s and something like that, haven't been able to put it together for four days. But maybe the experience of being here five or six years now helped me out.

Q. Are you surprised you came up short on 18?
JASON DUFNER: Yeah, I took a longer club. It was kind of between 7 and 8. Sometimes when you chip little ones, you don't get as much spin, probably that was it. I wanted to be left of the pin, so it was a miss to the right there. I think if I had been on line, it probably would have landed right on the front and skipped up. But it was kind of in between. That's a tough pin for me. I don't think I've ever hit the green when the pin has been over there. So I'm glad it out of the way.

Q. (No microphone.)
JASON DUFNER: There was a little bit of wind out there today. The greens started firming up a little bit. Usually when this course plays soft is when you start seeing some scores that are a little bit lower. But I expect tomorrow for sure to be kind of firm and fast, even in the morning. Maybe we'll get some weather on the weekend and soften it up and then you have to go toward the pins more.

Q. What's the key to making it three or four rounds here?
JASON DUFNER: That's the good question of the day. I'll let you know on Sunday.

Q. Are you having a good year? What's working more than anything?
JASON DUFNER: I've been pretty consistent. I missed a couple of cuts, but other than that I think I've had 9 or 10 top-25's, which to me says I'm playing pretty well. I seem to have one round that hangs me up a little bit. I don't know if I've had a tournament this year, I've been four rounds under par every round. I need to work on that.

But I feel good about my game. I like this stretch that I've been playing, leading to the U.S. Open, obviously, the second major of the year. It's a big event for me. I like where I'm at. And we'll get after it in the morning.

Q. Are you going in early to Erin Hills?
JASON DUFNER: No.

Q. (No microphone.)
JASON DUFNER: I generally play well every week, to be honest with you. If you look at my stats and my scores, I'm never really too far over par or way out of it. Last week was the first week I've had all week over par. So generally I'm playing pretty well, it's just a matter of can I put four together, how is my patience level and how I'm putting and scoring.

Q. What are your in-state roots?
JASON DUFNER: It would be nice to win here in Ohio. I didn't come to this event growing up. I went to Akron, used to be the NEC World Series of Golf. I used to go there a lot. Obviously, being from the state of Ohio and having some roots here, it would be nice to win. I'm sure the crowd would be favorable for me if that were to happen on Sunday and have a chance.

Q. (No microphone.)
JASON DUFNER: He's co-leader? I think I played with him on Saturday the year he won here, too. Obviously we both like this course a little bit.

Q. Just curious, what's your philosophy on putting?
JASON DUFNER: Right now it's been working pretty well with my putting. I've been working on my breathing a lot, to be honest with you. Pre-shot routine. Trying to get control of my breathing. Trying to get the pace of my stroke the way I want it with my breathing. So that's been working pretty well.

Q. (No microphone.)
JASON DUFNER: Probably short and quick and holding your breath at times. If you read anything about sniper shooters and when they shoot, they're really focused on their heartbeat and breathing. I'm sure you've heard Tiger talk about that.

Q. (No microphone.)
JASON DUFNER: More the breathing. I've been working on that. I've been working on some really simple things with set up, being comfortable with my setup. When I feel like I'm comfortable before I hit the putt, I feel like I make a better stroke. Usually when I go right, it's usually a setup thing, kind of where am I at in space oriented to the ball. Seems like it's simple, but guys get off, too far away, too close, ball too forward, too far back. So I've been working on simple things like setup and the breathing has been big for me.

Q. Are you trying to hole everything or are you trying not to --
JASON DUFNER: It just depends where the situation is. Out here you get 30 feet downhill, your percentage of making it is pretty low. So I'm trying to get it close to the hole and maybe it will drop in. I had three or four today where it was uphill so I could be more aggressive. So I was thinking about making it.

Q. The center shaft?
JASON DUFNER: That's been helpful, too, with alignment. When I had the offset on it, it made it look left to me so I would line up right. I went to the center shaft at the beginning of the year and I've been putting really good.

Q. (No microphone.)
JASON DUFNER: I guess. It's been working. It's been working all year. Some days I do it better than others. Today I was really focused on it.

Q. Do you breathe in when you take the stroke back or do you breathe back?
JASON DUFNER: As soon as I'm done breathing is when I go. As soon as when it comes out at the end is when I go. And then I have a count, one, two, kind of pace I've been working on. A little something different.

Q. What's the most you've ever lost it on the golf course?
JASON DUFNER: I've had some moments, doesn't happen very often. I try not to talk about those. I haven't been fined yet, I don't know if they can go retroactive on those.

Q. What's the most excitement you've ever expressed?
JASON DUFNER: I just try to stay even keel. I talked about this with somebody yesterday. That works for me. Like being too high, too low takes a lot out of me. Being out here playing on the PGA Tour is hard for me. It's tough, physically, mentally, emotionally, all these things. And for me to just be chill and relaxed, that works best for me. It doesn't mean that I'm not trying or I don't want to play good, or I don't feel the sting of bad shot or emotions of good shots. The extra energy takes it out of me. And this style works best for me.

Q. Any back issues?
JASON DUFNER: No, I'm good, I'm back.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297