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SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN

November 5, 2017

A.J. McInerney

Las Vegas, Nevada

Q. A.J., I saw the big smile on your face. Big round of applause from the gallery for your final round 67. What were the emotions like on your first PGA TOUR event?
A.J. McINERNEY: Just amazing. This week has been absolutely incredible. I need to thank Patrick Lindsey, the tournament director here at Shriners, for letting me play this week. Tried to make Vegas proud, they came out strong today, and it was absolutely amazing to be a part of that.

Q. What did you think (inaudible)?
A.J. McINERNEY: I knew I could do it, and then to go out and shoot 6-under on the back side after getting off to a slow start, it shows me that I can compete a little bit. There's obviously things I need to clean up and keep working on, but this week has been absolutely amazing. To do it in my backyard, it couldn't be better.

Q. Back nine, 30, what was that like coming down the stretch?
A.J. McINERNEY: It was amazing. Hit every green there on the back side and gave myself some looks, and a couple of them dropped for me. It was so much fun. Seeing Vegas come out today strong it was amazing.

Q. What about that last putt on 18, like you knew it all the way?
A.J. McINERNEY: We were actually between reads. I asked my caddie, which way do you see this is going? Because I had no idea. I could see it going both ways, and I think he knew from previous years that that thing breaks a little bit left. And I hit a great putt with perfect speed and trusted him, and he had a great read. To see that reaction from the crowd was amazing.

Q. Can you talk about the emotion not only of today, but the whole tournament for you?
A.J. McINERNEY: Oh, man, it started a couple Saturdays ago when I got the phone call. Then to come out here and kind of prove that I can play a little bit, to make the cut, I was proud of that. Then to be able to shoot 30 on the backside today, it was just kind of a storybook ending, I guess. It's just great to see Las Vegas out here supporting this great event. For me to just be a small piece of that and get these fans going and this crowd going, it meant the world to me.

Q. I don't want this to sound the wrong way, but if not for the horrible thing that all you guys went through, maybe you're not out here playing today. Is there a small part of you that says had it just went another day, maybe I don't get an exemption and maybe a lot of people are better off for it?
A.J. McINERNEY: I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. I've been writing letters to the tournament for years, and they told me last year I was close and that was with no status even on the Web.com Tour. I did have a little bit of success on the Web.com Tour this year.

I'm pretty sure my name was in the hat prior to that. Then the incident that happened, I don't think that had a factor in me playing, but I think having the support and the Vegas Strong hashtag kind of coined for us, that was amazing to be a part of that and to help grow that.

Q. How much momentum does this give you going forward? What do you have planned with the big weekend coming up?
A.J. McINERNEY: I don't know what the scores are at. Which I think will be close to a top 10, which will get me into Mayakoba. But I have a flight at 6:30 tonight to Dallas for second stage of Q-school. So I need to figure out the best options for me there. But, yeah, right now I'm going to be on a Southwest flight at 6:35.

Q. How much momentum do you take into Q-school next week?
A.J. McINERNEY: Yeah, playing great on the PGA TOUR, I mean, that gives you all the confidence you need. But it's still another week. It's still another event. I need to get my body healthy and make sure I'm rested up and go execute a few golf shots. So you can ride off momentum, but you can't let it get to your head. You still have to go hit golf shots.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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