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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 10, 2017

Jon Rahm

Charlotte, North Carolina

Q. How was your day? Tell us about it.
JON RAHM: It was a great day. You know, I've been looking forward to a day like this in a major championship for a long time. I don't think I've had this much fun on a major I don't think ever.

Tee to green the first nine was absolutely perfect. Even if I stumble a little bit on the first few holes on the back nine, I brought it back. Overall, 1-under par on a major championship with the conditions that we had today, with the greens that we had today, I'm extremely satisfied.

Q. What happened on the 17th hole?
JON RAHM: Well, I mean, you guys probably couldn't see. My ball ended up just left of my pitch mark. It was a hit or miss. I basically had my ball mark right next to it. I couldn't putt it. I couldn't hit the shot that I wanted. I had to guess. I thought I was going to chunk it on purpose and have it roll down. The green got me there and didn't get going down the slope.

Q. You are playing with two aggressive players. Does that raise your own assertiveness?
JON RAHM: Well, I tried to focus on my own stuff today. I mean, it is good to see. Those guys have played decent on this course before. Obviously the record they both have is amazing. To be able to see the different strategies they use, it's always going to be helpful. I tried to focus on my game more than theirs.

Q. You talked about having fun. Was there anything else that you did whether on how you approach the round or something to make sure that you had fun out there today?
JON RAHM: Not really. I just think I got to the first tee. I've learned from my mistakes. I got to the first tee just open mined to have fun and a good day no matter what. It does help when you make an up-and-down like I did on 1. That's probably why I played as good as I did on the next few holes.

Before the round I was ready to have a good day, ready to have fun. Even when I missed shots, like on No. 4, it never bothered me. That's why I was able to keep it going and have a good round.

Q. In terms of the speed and firmness of these greens, where do they rank?
JON RAHM: Given they are Bermuda greens, for me they are extremely difficult. The fact that how firm they got and the length of the golf course is extremely tough. I mean, if a fairways weren't as soft when we have shorter irons into the green, we would be able to control it a little more. The ball is releasing 15 feet. I don't think I have ever seen that besides a U.S. Open or British Open.

On 18, Rickie had a perfect fade 8-iron, Rory hit I believe it was a pitching wedge or a 9-iron up to the sky. Both of them landed pin high and the closest one was 12 feet past the hole. I pulled my, I ended up 40 feet past it. It's hard to play golf like, especially with the holes as difficult as they are right now.

Hopefully they put a couple pins on the back edge of the green so they can roll it up to the pin. They are playing tough. I mean, any time you have a putt down grain, downhill, everything it's just -- you have seen us, we just kind tap it and hope it stops by the hole.

Q. When is the last time you walked off the course being so happy?
JON RAHM: Last time I was this happy was probably the Irish Open. Not quite the same, but it was up there with some of the rounds I played there.

Q. How did you warm up this morning to get in this frame of mind?
JON RAHM: I did my usual warm up. I have gotten to the past major championships, I have gotten to the first tee with too much pressure on myself, trying to control too much, trying to play good, trying to do more than I need to do.

The last time I was mentally ready on the tee was Augusta. That was probably because the wind was blowing so hard, we just hit and hope on every single shot. And I've learned from the U.S. Open and the British Open. I have gotten to the tee ready to play golf and have fun. It was going to be a good day for all of us. Like I said, somehow I was just ready to have a good day.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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