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HNA OPEN DE FRANCE

June 29, 2018

Jon Rahm

Paris, France

Q. Jon Rahm, 69, your nemesis on today's round.
JON RAHM: Well, the course was probably three shots probably three shots easier than yesterday I would say. They put a couple of tees forward which was a lot less wind. Played early in the morning when the greens were perfect. So shot one shot better. Actually played a lot worse and I was able to scramble a couple of holes. Probably about as low of round as I could have done today.

Q. I think the scrambling should be pertinent. Can you tell us how not to go out the fescue on four and five. I think the commentators were expecting you just to play out and hopefully have something to go on, but you were disappointed not to make birdies on both of those.
JON RAHM: No, no, I was not. No, no, no. No, I was not disappointed at all. I was actually so surprised on No. 4 for that ball to come out to all the way pin high. I knew I could get it out, but I thought if I could fly it over the front edge, it was going to be a good shot. So when I hit mine and I didn't see it short, I was like, it might be just on the right. I was shocked to see it pin high, and then to hit the shot I did it was right on line. I mean when you see a ball right on line and it stops two inches short, you're always like, oh, so close. And then five was actually a harder shot. It was a bit more of a hit and hope. On four the fescue was straight on line with me, so sometimes you get a clean contact. And five it wasn't. And I just opened the face, aimed at the pin and hoped for the best, and that ball came out perfect. It was right on the pin. Put it straight somehow. I don't know what happened. Both with a 9-iron. Just sometimes it happens. Some other times it's been shots like even on the first hole today when I couldn't even get a 60 out of the rough.

Q. Is there one line that suits you others and 15 was your Achilles heel again. But I think you're 5-under for one and three, and obviously you got another one back on eight.
JON RAHM: Yeah. I mean -- yeah, 15 I had to make my best shots. Two of my poorest shots of the two days so far, 10 and 15. Misjudged the wind both days, and today it was your poor decision. A little miss communication between me and Adam as well. But that's what happens out here. I'm not the only one hitting balls in the water and I'm not the only one having bad luck on a couple of holes. It all balances out at the end. I also made a great putt on 11 starting out the day. That eagle on three at the beginning of the day, you can always look at some good breaks to balance it out.

Q. Well, you've got a flip reversal here, so obviously this afternoon they might have a harder time, and tomorrow is moving day. So you're setup quite well.
JON RAHM: I think the course, unless they get the same amount of wind as we did, the course is actually a lot easier. We could see the dots yesterday on where they were planning to put the pins in, and a couple have been a little more conservative than what they could have been. The tee is up on 18. The tee is up on 2, making a couple of holes a lot shorter than what they usually are. And that makes it a lot easier. I hit a perfect drive yesterday, I hit a 5-iron into the green, and I made two. Today I hit just a 2-iron and a 6-iron. So it really is a lot easier, especially if the wind stays like it is right now it will be a lot easier, but hopefully they don't shoot too low and I don't get too far away from where I am right now.

Q. Jon, a round of 69. Different conditions today. How did you rate that compared to the first day?
JON RAHM: It's definitely a lot easier today. We didn't have as much wind. We were the first few groups to play. The greens were perfect, and some of the tee boxes were up like on 18 and No. 2. So it was certainly setup a little bit easier. I played a lot worse than I did yesterday and I shot a lower score, so that shows it was a little easier. Also there was a couple of holes, like on four and five, a couple others I was able to scramble and get some pretty good pars. So that also helps out.

Q. When they move the tee boxes up today, is there a sense that that makes the course much easier for afternoon guys? The wind is supposed to pick up as well. Is that something you liked? Was that a good challenge?
JON RAHM: Well, I think -- I'm a believer that, you know, with the wind we had yesterday afternoon, with that wind being forecasted today, they should have not changed the tee boxes because we had to play like that, and we also had a couple of tough pins today. So I think they should have just left it setup the way they had it planned out. But I also understand that they want to try to make it as fair as possible. I mean they had it almost perfect for par yesterday. I also understand they don't want to make it too difficult for the guys. But this time it makes it a little easier. If the wind doesn't stay like this, as hard as we had it yesterday, sure they may have a better chance today. You never know. It's still tough out there. It's still hard to make birdies and pars.

Q. Jon, just a thought on this golf course. How different is it to what you see week in, week out on the PGA TOUR and is it a style that you'd like to see a lot more of across the world of golf?
JON RAHM: Well, I did finish Top 10 last year and I'm playing good so far. I do enjoy this type of golf. And the reason why is because everybody has gotta hit good shots. It's golf. You're make to make bogeys. I think it's virtually impossible to go bogey free here. If you can go nine holes without making a bogey, you're playing really good golf. So in my mind it's more how golf is supposed to be played. I feel like the most talented men of the weeks are the ones playing in difficult conditions. The win is really deserved. There's a couple of times on the PGA TOUR that the courses are setup so easy that it just becomes a player competition. It's a refreshing change. That's probably why I'm successful in Europe is because I grind it out, I fight every single shot. I try to get the most out of it.

Q. Great playing. Good luck for the weekend.
JON RAHM: Thank you very much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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