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TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2018

Paul Casey

Cromwell, Connecticut

Q. You graciously signed all of these autographs after what was such a disappointing day. What do you take from this going forward to build on for the rest of the season?
PAUL CASEY: There was a lot of fight in there. I fought my golf swing all day. So you can see coming down the last couple of holes, hitting the pull 8-iron on 16, and the flair right on 17 just about summed it up. Yeah, incredibly frustrating.

It was always going to be a difficult day because of the different wind direction, I thought for, someone to go particularly low. And you've got to give credit to Bubba, 63; is that right? That was a great score. But, obviously, I'll go away, analyze this, look at it and see what we can do better in the future.

Q. You could tell on the front nine you were fighting. Seemed like you were holing putts when you needed to to stay in the mix. How would you characterize that?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, like you said, I was fighting. Didn't have my swing all day and fought it, and battled as hard as I could. But to only make one birdie all day is not good enough. It was highlighted with fighting the swing and pull 8-iron on 16, and then the flair right with the rescue on 17 just about summed up how I felt about my golf swing. All credit to Bubba, 63 is a great round of golf, in what I felt were very tricky conditions. Yeah, just frustrating I didn't have more. Didn't have a comfortable swing to go out there and do something with.

Q. Could you feel it at all on the range or what point in the round did you know today was going to be a battle?
PAUL CASEY: My neck was tight this morning and it was a struggle warming up. Neck didn't bother me all the way around, but, yeah, just fighting it. It is what it is. I've got a lot of fight in me, but just not enough.

Q. Biggest takeaway from being in that position, the fact that you were tied for the lead with three holes to go?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, if I play the way I wanted to, then we've got ourselves in a different position. Don't know the outcome, but wouldn't be what I'm talking about right now. But for me, what a great week. Travelers put on such a great event. There was some booing going on 18 when I had no prize given because too much electricity in the air, which was upsetting for the fans. They should be applauded because they've been great all week. What a tournament these guys have in Connecticut. They should be very, very proud of it.

Q. What is your biggest takeaway from the recent stretch considering you were battling injury a month ago?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, exactly that. You know, these are really -- ignore the neck. Just literally a bad sleep. Healthy, which is good the last two weeks. First time I've been healthy and not have a back issue since it came on at The Masters, so that's good. I'm trying to get World Ranking points and FedExCup points and Ryder Cup points and all that kind of stuff. Wins take care of that. I desperately wanted to make that par on 18. It would have been nice to scrape something out of today.

But, yeah, injury-free, healthy. Not my best stuff. Tied for second. You can build on that.

Q. Does this reflect how difficult it is?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, it's always difficult to win out here. The golf course is -- so-called easy golf courses like this are not that easy if you don't have control of the golf ball. I need to go away and think about this and digest it and see what I would have done differently. Probably not a lot.

I mean, I fought as hard as I could, which I'm proud of. Not many times you put me on a golf course and I only make one birdie. I don't know. I'd be frustrated with that in last week's event, but it is what it is.

You know, the tricky thing was different wind direction today, and just not hitting the way I wanted to and not comfortable. Tried my best, that's all I can do.

Q. At what point did it not feel comfortable for you?
PAUL CASEY: The tee shot on the first wasn't great for sure. I mean, it was awful. First few holes were not good. You know, just wiping across it. Either pulling it or flaring it right. That's difficult to play with on benign conditions and extremely difficult to play with when it's slightly windy like it was today. I actually hit a lot of good putts. Ironically the only putts I made were par saves, because I hit some wonderful putts, especially on the back nine.

I'm trying to think. 12, 14, 15 was pretty good, just grazed the hole, even 18. Just if one of them goes, maybe not 18, but if one of them goes, maybe get some more momentum. But you've got to applaud Bubba. 63 is a really good round of golf out there today. Great stuff.

Q. Did you feel like pace of play effected you coming down the stretch?
PAUL CASEY: No, it's always too slow, but it didn't effect me.

Q. Was the sting of this one soothed by Tampa in the fact you have one under your belt?
PAUL CASEY: At least I didn't play my best golf and finish second. That would be slightly upsetting. You know, it was -- I'm probably even more fired up than I was post Tampa to get another victory. This is only going to be more fuel. It's annoying and I'm frustrated by it.

But I feel very good about, I said early to George, injury-free, and excited for the rest of the season. I've got a lot of events. I've got 12 events or something the rest of the year. So ask me again in November, and if I don't have another victory, then I will be disappointed. This is merely kind of posturing for what could be a very good climax.

Q. Were you watching the leaderboards at all or listening to the roars to see where you stood or hanging on?
PAUL CASEY: I knew. Hard to not. I've got big digital things. But then again --

Q. J.B. Holmes said he didn't watch for 17 holes, that's why I ask.
PAUL CASEY: Did he not? I knew what was going on. I knew guys were coming. If I had stretched it out more, then I probably wouldn't have looked. If I had complete control and I was more kind of -- unfortunately, I was on the back foot all day, so then I did know what was going on. If I stretched it out to 17, 18, 20-under, I wouldn't have cared and I wouldn't have looked.

Q. Bubba seems gracious, but do you feel a little snake bit here? Second time he's nipped at the wire?
PAUL CASEY: It's more me. I didn't get it taken care of today. Credit to his great play. I would have loved to won outright or at least have another go at him in a playoff would have been nice. But not to be.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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