	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

DELL TECHNOLOGIES CHAMPIONSHIP

September 4, 2017

Kevin Chappell

Boston, Massachusetts

MARK WILLIAMS: Kevin, we just want to get some comments from you. It looks like your spot on The Presidents Cup has been secured. We just got the word from Tom Holter. It's a very slim margin, my friend, but you got it done.

So just what are your thoughts now that you're aware of this?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, it's been a range of emotions. I think I've been able to put some words to what I felt the last few days, just trying to play golf. Obviously get yourself to THE TOUR Championship, but get yourself on The Presidents Cup team. You know, Charley is a good friend and I feel for him.

It's a great feeling and my emotions move towards getting ready to win The Presidents Cup for Team USA.

Q. This is obviously the first national team that you've been looking for. In the scheme of your career, how gratifying is it to make one of these teams?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, you know, 2017's been very gratifying. To have a daughter, and to win my first golf tournament, and be able to represent my country, really cool.

Q. When you won at Texas, at San Antonio, that seemed to take you to another level. Did you feel that was the case, or was that just kind of a matter of it was going to come sooner or later for you?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: The start of the year was so miserable for me. My game just seemed so lost. Probably turned around at the Masters. Just shows -- I think I was seventh there. You know, it was a big confidence boost for me.

And then I played San Antonio, a place I'm very comfortable. I went in there with a lot of confidence and left with even more. That kind of validated the goals that I had for the year and made them feel even more attainable. To be able to check this one off is amazing.

Q. I know we talked about it a little bit, Liberty National, but how does that course fit your game?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Saturday, what was the year, 2013, it fit my game quite well.

MARK WILLIAMS: What was it, 62 you shot there?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yes, sir.

MARK WILLIAMS: And that's the course record at Liberty National. Obviously the configuration will be a little different for The Presidents Cup, but that's got to make you feel like you've got an inside row there.

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, it's a place I feel comfortable. I look forward to embracing the crowds, embracing the fans, and making sure that the flag flies high at Liberty National.

Q. In terms of the team room, how do you think you'll impact the team room? Obviously there's a lot of egos and characters in there. Do you have any kind of sense right now of what it might be like? Have you talked to anybody that's been in there before?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: You know what, I haven't really. I played with Kuch yesterday and Kevin Kisner, obviously a rookie. I asked Kuch one question, you know, basically the difference between The Ryder Cup and The Presidents Cup, and he gave me a very candid answer.

But it was fun to pick his brain a little bit. Fun to hear what he had to say. You know, I think there's a lot of characters, a lot of new guys, a lot of obviously very talented players. You know, it's probably going to be a new team room from what the past has brought to some of these team events.

Q. Do you feel a sense of, I guess accomplishment, a sense of relief? Because obviously we've been asking you those questions, as you mentioned before. I guess it's kind of a wide range of emotions you're probably feeling right now.
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, just in terms of accomplishment, I guess a little bit of relief. Only relief when I finished the round of golf today because I didn't have to worry about it anymore. It was out of my hands -- worry is the wrong word. I didn't have to think about it anymore because whatever was going to happen was going to happen.

Where I sit now, it's a great feeling, and right now, I'm already thinking about how I can help the team the best way possible and get my game ready to go.

Q. It's crazy to think that after a couple years, it boils down to not you or Charley, but a Kevin Streelman birdie and a Russell Henley bogey to decide who is going to be 10th and who is going to be 11th. What does that tell you about just how precarious these situations are?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: I think the system, obviously I'm going to say this; the system's right. And for it to be a culmination of a year and a half or two years, you know, every putt matters. You never know where you're at or where you'll be in a year and a half when you're hitting a putt at the Career Builder, and everything seems so unattainable. You never know where you'll be.

I feel like for me the last year and a half have been such a change in my career, and a step in the right direction. And you know, momentum is on my side, that's for sure.

Q. Will you celebrate at all? Is this something that you will just kind of enjoy with the family, or how will you spend the next 24 to 48 hours?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: Well, my next seven hours are going to be in a coach seat flight back to Seattle --

Q. No first class?
KEVIN CHAPPELL: They didn't have any and I wanted to get home tonight. Get to the airport right now and check in and probably have a beer and make a few phone calls and answer a few text messages.

You know, I'll really enjoy this. But I've got some work to do. My game is not quite where I want it to be. I'd love to still be playing right now and try to win this golf tournament. So try to make sure I'm ready to go in Chicago and East Lake.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297