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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 10, 2017

Patrick Reed

Charlotte, North Carolina

Q. How did the course play? Was it soft out there?
PATRICK REED: Today it played a lot firmer and faster than it did the past two days. The past couple of days was really wet and the golf course was playing long.

It dried out nicely, especially with weather like it was today. Going out in the morning, having benign winds having that softer conditions, you have to go out and attack this golf course. I feel like I did that pretty well. Made some minor adjustments here and there. I probably only had two or three loose golf swings out there. Unfortunately, one cost me. Besides that, it was a steady first round.

Q. Were you feeling pretty good coming into the week? What's the state of your game?
PATRICK REED: It's better. I feel like it's moving in the right direction. I got to keep my energy level up. Being my ninth week in a row, you have to save your energy for tournament rounds. I can get ahead of myself easily by going out and putting in a really long Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

I have love to prepare. I love to be out there practicing. If I'm not, I feel like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to. My coach is really geared me back this week on saving energy for the golf course. It's paid off because yesterday I felt like we hit it hard early in the day, then I tried to go play nine holes about it wasn't productive. Giving myself a little less of a warm up, it allowed me to come into the week and the day feeling fresh and ready to go.

Q. What is most challenging about the course given the changes they have made?
PATRICK REED: No. 1 being 524 instead of 430. It's a little different. I think the biggest thing the rough is thick as I've seen it out here. Compared to the previous years at Quail when we're playing Wells Fargo, it's thick but it's not like it is here right now.

The other thing is the even though the greens are so pure, they are so fast. It's hard to keep yourself below the hole. That was probably my biggest adjustment from the first nine compared to the second nine. I was putting downhill. You have to hit it so soft and hope you play enough break. I had couple of putts barely were moving when they missed the hole. Next thing I know I have five feet. Just making those minor adjustments is huge around here is something you have to do.

Q. What is your take on the 4th green?
PATRICK REED: The par-3? It's all right. It's a new green, so it's a little firm. But today's pin was an interesting one. Our group was kind of feeling like if you move the tee up 20 yards instead of it being a softy 6 or full 7, if it's a 9 iron you probably can stop it close. As this day gets warmer and firmer and faster, it's going to be really hard to get close to that flag. I hit a full 7 today, I launched it to the moon and I pushed it from where my line was right at the flag, landed three yards short of the hole and still went over the green.

It all depends. Depends on where they are going to put the pins an flags. As a whole I think the green is fine. It's one of those that you have to hit your number. If you don't, you are going to be off the green.

Q. Did you prep for nine weeks in a row? How far out in advance did you start to make some adjustments to your schedule?
PATRICK REED: I wasn't planning on doing nine. I was planning on having a break somewhere in there. As the year has been going, I feel like I've been having to play a little bit more. I don't like to -- if I don't feel like things are going exactly how I want to, I don't want to go home and try to work on it at the range. I can go to the range and it the ball perfect every time. I want to fix it on the golf course. That's why I have been playing a lot.

I also want to keep my European Tour status. I had to play some of those events as well. I feel like around the British was a good time. With going British and then following the week being just a normal event then going Akron PGA, it kind of gets you one of those situations that you are going to play a long strength there or a long stretch before the British. For me I took two of the long stretches and combined them into a marathon and decided to go with that.

Q. Presidents Cup been on your mind at all?
PATRICK REED: Of course. Those team events are always on my mind. The way you take care of those is go out and play good golf. I don't sit there and focus on standings and what you need points wise. At the end of the day you win a golf tournament, it takes care of itself. That's been the way I thought about I everything when it comes to World Ranking, FedExCup, the playoffs, Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup, any of those team events. If you go out and play golf like you are supposed to, it's going to take care of yourself. That's all you can control.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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