	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 GREENBRIER CLASSIC

July 5, 2017

Kevin Kisner

White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Kevin Kisner into the Greenbrier Classic media center.

It's been so far a good year: A win, two seconds, and right now eighth place in the FedExCup standings.

Maybe just look back on the year so far, how things have unfolded.

KEVIN KISNER: It's been a great year for me. A lot of my goals are where they -- at the beginning of the year I wanted to win. I always want to be in contention to win, so I've had a good year as far as that's come.

I haven't played as well in the majors as I would've like to. I am doing a little different stretch here leading into the British Open playing two weeks in a row leading into it. See if that changes things on my preparation. I am still learning on that side of things.

Just looking to play well and keep my streak going.

THE MODERATOR: You done anything different this year than a year ago? Any tweaks to your game that you've been working on?

KEVIN KISNER: I think I didn't have as good a ball-striking year last year stats-wise as I had in '15 when I played well. They're starting to trend more in the right direction like they did in 2015.

Just always got to keep my short game tight because that's where I make all my money out here.

THE MODERATOR: You had a chance to play the course. Maybe give us an idea of the changes from two years ago this year.

KEVIN KISNER: I like 'em. I like 7 green. Probably an easier green now than it was in the past because that back right pin was so brutal.

I think 13 is great with the trees moved to the right of the green.

Then 14 tee shot I think is totally different. Used to hit it over a fairway bunker, and now it's right in my driver zone. All the bombers will hit it right over that.

It's going to be interesting to see. I wish we didn't get as much rain. I liked it playing firm and fast. Hopefully it will by the weekend. That's is when it gets real interesting on the PGA TOUR.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Just with basically the whole course being revamped, is it just a clean slate for everybody, whereas you go to other course maybe one guy has an upper hand on another? You feel like it's more even this time around than any other time?
KEVIN KISNER: A lot of them are the same, the holes, so the one thing I keep finding are new greens are difficult to putt. A lot of guys putt off of memory from years past. I write down a lot of stuff in my book from putts you'll have from each year because the hole locations are so close together. I think that's one of the hardest things on new courses.

But as far as where to miss it and off the tee and stuff like that, it looks really similar. Obviously except for 16. We're not hitting over the water anymore; hitting more down it.

I think the ball-striking side of it is pretty close to where it was in the past.

Q. You mentioned the importance of the majors to you. Can you just talk more about the decision to play two weeks in a row leading into the Open?
KEVIN KISNER: I haven't figured out my style yet. I've only been playing in the majors for three years now. I've taken weeks off prior to 'em. I don't think I've played the week before one in a while.

This year I'm going to do here and John Deere going over to the British, and then I am going to play Akron before the PGA. See if that works better. I didn't play Memphis and I didn't play Houston, so didn't do great in either one of those.

Still trying to figure out if I play better playing into them or taking a week off. I think in the future I'll keep playing into 'em.

Q. With a lot of the guys around the tour, is there any chance this particular tournament carries any kind of different meaning being it wasn't played a year ago? Are guys viewing this differently in terms of trying to get the win here?
KEVIN KISNER: I'm not sure about treating it differently because a year off. I know a lot of guys love coming here because of the family atmosphere. I've never seen so many kids and tour players in my life running around.

It's one of our favorite events to bring families; it's a great place to stay on site and have all the activities to do.

I think it's more of a family week than golf week in some aspects. If you play well, it's added bonus.

Q. What do you have to say about the altitude? Playing here and your next few tournaments down the line, how the differences are going to be...
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, we play about 5%change here when it's warm. Obviously this morning it was pouring rain and the ball was going nowhere. We notice when it warms up in the afternoon 5% pretty easily. 2000 feet is what I think we're close to here.

We play all over the place so we get pretty accustomed to that.

Q. Last time you were here you were pretty successful. What are the keys for you in order to be successful here?
KEVIN KISNER: Always a key for me on the PGA TOUR is hit the fairways. It's one of my strengths, but if I do it I seem to play well. When I go back and look at stats of weeks I play well it's always I am in the top 5 or 10 in driving accuracy.

I just do better coming into these greens and making birdies if I'm in the fairway. I think that's a great asset to have at the Old White, because you can attack the pins. The greens are still firm even though we had all that rain, and you got to be in the fairway to put any type of spin on it.

Q. Talk about that tournament you had two years ago. You got in the playoff. What got you there? Then on the flip side, what kind of nasty lie did you have behind the green there?
KEVIN KISNER: I still don't think I finished that hole, did I? I won't get that lie again this year, I can promise you that, because they've changed all that. I think I whiffed it twice and then barely got it out and then maybe got it on the green and then decided to let everybody else have their turn.

But I think I shot 7- or 8-under the last day. I wasn't really up there, and kind of came from behind and posted a number. Now I remember in the playoff I hit the same club in regulation and hit it over the green right at it, so I was a little pumped up, I guess.

Q. Kevin, you've been on quite a roll lately. What has turned things for you? You were playing well but you've really stepped it up.
KEVIN KISNER: I just think the game is cyclical. You watch anybody's career except Tiger Woods and they have their up and downs. I played great in 2015; played pretty average by most standards in '16; now playing well again.

Just about perseverance and working on things that you need to work on and staying patient until you play well and taking advantage of the opportunity when you do play well.

Q. Talk about that 18th hole in that footprint. I mean, if they put that pin down in that thing we're gonna see a few hole in ones, aren't we?
KEVIN KISNER: I seriously doubt they're going to put it there. It's been there the last two days, so I imagine they would be tucking them right and left and back again on the tournament days.

Q. Wouldn't that be great for TV, though?
KEVIN KISNER: I tell them that, and on No. 3. I say, Why don't we use the middle here? We'll make hole-in-ones here, too.

They don't want us to shoot low, I guess.

Q. (No microphone.)
KEVIN KISNER: I have had two weeks off, so this is kind of get me going again, knock some rust off. Bring my family up here, hang out with them. And three weeks is when, if you look at it, you want to start playing well, play better, and play your best the third week and then take a week off. That's how I kind of how I look at it.

Q. 15- or 16-under has been the number around here. Do you expect it to continue that way again?
KEVIN KISNER: I think it could be lower. I don't think the changes made it any harder and the greens are absolutely perfect. Guys get hot. They're going to make a lot of birdies. This rain is going to make them a lot more receptive than they were.

There are a lot of wedge opportunities. I know there are not many par-5s, but guys are going to make birdies, that's for sure.

Thank you, guys.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Kevin.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297