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ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANSApril 26, 2018David DuvalJim FurykAvondale, Louisiana Q. Jim, David, great start, especially considering the fact that for about five holes you were getting dumped on. To be able to get a good score out of it, you have to be pretty pleased. JIM FURYK: Yeah, it was those first four holes. I think we talked on 10, and it was kind of like -- it was kind of miserable conditions, but felt like if we could get out to at least a solid start, weather the storm, we knew the weather was going to turn around. We were lucky. David made a birdie on 11; we were 1-under through the first four, and the skies opened up and turned into a good day. Q. David, there has been a lot of conversation about flipping the format back to being able to play four ball on a day like today. DAVID DUVAL: Uh-huh. Q. Getting back into competition the way you have been, how good was it to have a format like this where you each could lean on each other? DAVID DUVAL: Well, I think it was good, certainly for me. I haven't competed very much, and it's a different -- the alternate shot is certainly a more nerve-wracking format. And add to it that you're playing it for a score, not just matches, match play per hole. To kind of get my toes wet, if you will, I played it at the AT&T, but I went out there having not been able to practice or play. It's a place my wife, Susie, and I just love. Went out there and didn't play all that well. But come here, had some good practice, and did reasonably well. Q. The real question, Jim, though, is since he's transitioning into the dark side with us, was there any overanalysis of some shots today? JIM FURYK: It was interesting. He mumbled on the way over here, The damn media, as we were coming over to do this interview. I don't know. I don't know what that was all about. Q. Hard to believe with the weather we're looking at right now you started your round with five holes of a complete downpour. How did you score so well in those tough conditions? JIM FURYK: I think we just ground it out. We both hit good drives right off the bat on 10 and missed the green and kind of had to scrounge out a par putt. David was able to birdie 11, and then it was just hanging on on 12 and 13. The skies opened up, and from that moment on I think we birdied 14 and kind of got off to the races. So we both know we just had to weather the storm early. I think that birdie he knocked in on 11 was a big boost. Q. David, it's fun to see you as an athlete out here again. DAVID DUVAL: Thank you. Q. So often you're on our side of camera this season. DAVID DUVAL: Right. Q. How did it feel to be back out there doing what you love? DAVID DUVAL: Well, it's a joy, you know. The competition is different. I certainly miss it. Like to play a little bit more than I do. But I also enjoy the other side, you know? But having this unique opportunity to come play with a long-time friend -- I mean, Jim and I haven't figured out exactly, but I think we've been friends for about 32 years, since junior golf, like 14, 15 years old. It's just a treat, you know? I'm a big fan of New Orleans and the people here and Zurich and what they've done with this event. We just love coming here. Q. How does it feel to be back here? JIM FURYK: Feels good. Feels good. City is fun. David has been showing me around. He's played this event quite a bit more than I have. I'm seeing the Duval side of New Orleans and having fun. Q. He's treated you pretty well here, has he? JIM FURYK: He has. He has. Q. How did you all feel about your round today obviously considering the conditions you started in? DAVID DUVAL: Yeah, conditions were rough. Not what I would have asked for having not really played very much golf, but we hung in there, which is kind of all you had to do. Kept just falling back on the fact that they said I think around 8:50 it was supposed to stop, something like that. They were awful close on that prediction. As much as anything, it's important just to make a few pars, pick up a birdie like we did, and be under par through those awful conditions. Then after that the gear can come off. You can get a little more free with your golf swing and try to get after it. Q. David, you've obviously had this circled on your calendar for a bit. What was the preparation like? DAVID DUVAL: Fortunately with work schedule I've had the last couple weeks off since the Masters. Actually went down, took my clubs -- which I've never traveled with clubs -- took them to the Masters and practiced down there when I had the opportunity. Then I had a couple weeks at home, of which a good eight or nine of those days cooperated weather-wise. Then I met up with my old coach as well, talked with him and met up with him down here on Monday. It's just kind of like normal preparation. Maybe not as much as it would be for a typical player, but a lot more than I've been able to do in the past. Q. Jim, does being the Ryder Cup captain draw you to an event a little bit more? JIM FURYK: I would keep an eye on it. I think it's fun for Dave and I both to really look at the different pairings and see who is playing together. Always trying to figure out why. Are they good friends? Do they think their games match up? I think it's interesting and unique to see it and how the guys partner up and play together. It's fun. If I wasn't here playing, I found myself watching this golf tournament on TV a little bit last year. And I'll be honest, I don't watch a ton of golf on television. I thought it was a unique format and I thought it was cool, so I wanted to pay attention. Q. With today being a different style, do you have to be -- you just have to think a little bit differently around the golf course? JIM FURYK: I think today, I mean, weather being tough and having two balls in play is a lot of nice. Surely we both hit some shots that we would've loved to have back. We both leaned on our partners a little bit. I think we ham and egged it really good today. DAVID DUVAL: Yeah. JIM FURYK: And got pretty much one of the best scores we could have out of the round. Tomorrow is a different animal. I'm glad we kind of got settled today, put up a decent score. I think the key tomorrow is -- our whole thought process coming in here, we talked about it, is we want to have fun. It's two buddies getting back together, playing golf. We have to keep that same attitude tomorrow. We're here to have a good time and have fun. If we can do that, we may put up a decent score. Fun part is important. Q. Not si rusty after all. (Indiscernible.) JIM FURYK: He hung in there today. DAVID DUVAL: We hung in there. Wasn't necessarily the prettiest, but it was solid. Wasn't like we had 36 looks at birdies; there was a few up and downs; a few good saves; about 8- or 10-footer for a save; and a couple good birdie putts. It was solid, but it wasn't entirely like smoke and mirrors. It was pretty solid. JIM FURYK: We saw some good putts go in today. DAVID DUVAL: Yeah. JIM FURYK: Which is always fun. Always helps the score. Like to see a few more of those go in tomorrow. Q. You talked about being friends for 30 years. Was it easy finding a rhythm as teammates in a competition like this? JIM FURYK: I think so. One thing I think we struggle with is we're both very quiet by nature. We're a quiet group. I don't think either one of us needs to talk that much to make the other one comfortable. I don't know if you feel that way. DAVID DUVAL: Yeah, no, you don't have to -- I know I don't need to let him know I'm excited to be here. He knows I am, and it's vice versa there. When we're away we have immense conversation, but on the golf course we both kind of go about our business and we help each other on the greens a little bit and go from there. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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