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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 12, 2017

Daniel Berger

Silvis, Illinois

THE MODERATOR: Okay, we'll get started while the rest are filing in.

Daniel Berger, thanks for joining us for a few minutes. Making your first start here at the John Deere Classic this week. Prior to this week you've really established a solid season. Not long ago successfully defended your title in Memphis at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, and couple runner-up finishes on top of that.

So with all that, you're coming into the week inside the top 10 FedExCup standings at No. 9. Now, with that, I'll turn it over to you. Get some comments on making your first start here at the John Deere Classic.

DANIEL BERGER: You make me feel so accomplished this year. No, I'm playing really good. I'm excited about this week. I love coming to a golf course that I've never played at because it kind of feels like your rookie year out here when you get to play. Every week you're learning the differences in the courses.

It's just fun to get out here and try to play some good golf.

THE MODERATOR: How are you feeling coming in? Obviously your record speaks to the fact that you're playing quite well, but how are you feeling as far as your game coming into the week?

DANIEL BERGER: I feel great. I'm like the most rested I've been in my three years on tour. I've looked back at the tournaments I've played, and I think I've only played 16 or 17 events already. I think my rookie year I was at like 20 something at this point.

So I just feel like I've managed my schedule a lor better and I'm a lot more ready to go.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up and take a few questions.

Q. What made you decide to come here this year, being your third year on tour?
DANIEL BERGER: You know, it's tough to say. I really just kind of wanted to add another event to my schedule. I thought for me, in the past I've liked to play the week before a major. I think it really helps me. This just happens to be a week before a major.

I think it's great to get some competition in before you play a big event, so this is a good way to get ready for next week.

Q. Have you talked to any of the other guys who have traditionally played here this week and then gone over to the British to find out how to handle the two weeks back-to-back?
DANIEL BERGER: Yeah, you know, a little bit, but I think I lean on a lot of experiences in my traveling having been to Asia, having been to the British Open before. Just I do pretty well with jet lag, so it's not that big of a deal for me.

I think as long as you can stay hydrated and do the proper things and go to bed at the right time, then it's really not that big of a deal. Obviously the first day kind of sucks, but then you get or it.

I'm not a guy this likes to do two weeks in England. Like when I came out my rookie year I got into the British Open and I went to Scotland and played the Scottish Open, and that was just too much time in England.

I decided not to do it the next year, and I'm not going to do it again.

Q. You talked about feeling like a rookie out here when you hit a course for the first time. You had such a great year so far this year. Do you feel like a rookie still at some points, or do you feel like a veteran? What are the expectations? Do you feel like the expectations are mounting because of the season you're having this year?
DANIEL BERGER: A little bit. I mean, I feel like I've kind of made a name for myself the last few years and been at the top of the leaderboards a lot more often than I even thought when I first came out here and have won a few times.

You know, I just try to prepare the best that I can every week and let the rest take care of itself. I love that preparation; I love what comes with that. So that's the most fun. Obviously, like I said, coming to a new course and not having played it before, it's a lot of fun to go out and hit all the different chip shots and work on your putting and to do all the things that give you a chance to play well.

Q. Talk about this being your first time here. How important is this? What do you focus on this week knowing the British Open is coming up next?
DANIEL BERGER: I think I they're two completely separate golf courses in comparison. Obviously the British Open will be firm and fast, is this is soft just with the rain that we've had.

A lot of the confidence that I'm going to build is going to be through just getting reps in, just playing as much as I can. I practiced hard the week off, so just kind of getting that feeling of being under the pressure again.

That really worked well for me before I went to the U.S. Open. Obviously I was a little bit tired after having played so well at Memphis. I'll be better this time having learned from that experience.

Q. Tons of winners under 25 this year. What's the vibe like with you guys? Is there a little inter-competition? How is it going with all you young guys that seem to win every single week?
DANIEL BERGER: I just think everyone wants to win every week. It's a bit unrealistic, but I think we are more prepared. The younger guys are more prepared now than they were ten or fifteen years ago because the college level is so much higher, the amateur level is so much higher, the junior level is much higher.

So when we get out here, we are more prepared to play well and play better faster. There are so many great players playing every week that you have to play really well to win. You don't get that many chances every year, so you have to take advantage of the ones that you do.

Q. What's impressed you about the course? What do you like about the course?
DANIEL BERGER: I think the greens are awesome. I mean, this is my first time here, like I said, but they're spectacular. They're fast. A little soft obviously, but it's rained.

I expect it to be really, really good scoring conditions.

Q. Playing the way you have this summer the confidence has got to be great. How much of the game is sort of mental and having that great mindset as you get ready to go to work tomorrow?
DANIEL BERGER: Oh, it's a lot easier having played well. I just don't really care as much. It sounds, you know, like -- doesn't make sense. When I don't have very high expectations I play better.

To come into this week just to try to focus on preparing for next week, I mean, I may play well, I may not. Regardless, I know I've got something to look forward to next week as well.

Q. What do you think has led to the ascension for you the last few months?
DANIEL BERGER: Yeah, well, I mean, in the beginning of the year I switched to a different equipment company. As you see, guys like Rory and guys that have changed equipment, it's just not that easy to do. I feel like I just really got dialed in and started to trust what I was using.

When you're hitting shots and you think one thing is going to happen and something else happens, that can effect your confidence. Now I'm starting to see the right feedback and I am starting to really trust my equipment, and that's why I'm playing so well.

Q. You talked about the excitement of seeing new courses. Do you feel like you play better on courses that you are unfamiliar with?
DANIEL BERGER: I don't know about that, but I think that I play well at TPC courses. It's nice to come to another TPC course.

I played nine holes yesterday and obviously today got rained out in the nine-hole pro-am. I've seen the golf course once, which is pretty typical for me. I don't know where all the trouble is, so I just listen to my caddie and hopefully not pay attention to that too much.

Q. Steve Stricker specifically talked about you in a press conference. With the Presidents Cup only a couple months away, what's its dialog between you and him and what kinds of things do you want to show him or what do you want to be able to talk to him about if you get an opportunity?
DANIEL BERGER: He sent me some text exchanges back and forth after Memphis and Travelers. Mostly I just need to keep doing what I'm doing. If I keep playing like this, I'll be moving up the list even further.

Obviously that was a huge goal of mine, is to play on the Presidents Cup team. I feel like I've set myself up to make that team. Obviously not a done deal yet. If I continued to what I'm doing, I think that I'll be a tough person to beat if I make that team.

Q. Are you at all surprised by the level of success you've attained this quickly in your pro career?
DANIEL BERGER: Not really. I've worked really hard to get to where I am. I think if anything, I've been more under the radar than only some of the other guys like Justin and Patrick Rogers who have played in tour events when they were younger.

They started playing golf when they were three years old and that's all they've ever done. I didn't start playing golf until I was 11 or 12, and so this is kind of -- I mean, once I started playing golf I knew this is what I wanted to do. I spent hours and hours and hours and hours at the range.

I come from a background where my dad was a professional athlete, so I have people to lean on and can ask for advice. It's been pretty easy so far.

THE MODERATOR: Anybody else? All right, Daniel, thanks for your time. As always, we appreciate it.

DANIEL BERGER: Yeah.

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