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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 13, 2018

Steve Wheatcroft

Silvis, Illinois

Q. Steve, I've always admired your perspective, especially with what you've gone through in your career. I'm going to give you two perspectives from today's round. If you told you at the beginning of the week, 12-under through 36 holes, and would follow up 62 with 68, it would probably feel a little different, but I know you left a few out there today.
STEVE WHEATCROFT: Yeah. I mean, obviously would've taken that with the year I've had.

Really disappointing back nine. I know I was playing really well. Made one bad swing off the tee on 2. Made a sloppy bogey on 2, one of the easiest holes out here.

And then we didn't have a good number on 3. We guessed; we guessed wrong. I hit a really good wedge and the number was a little longer than we thought it was going to be. So bad bogey there as well.

And then I know I hit it left off the tee on 9 yesterday. I know you can't hit it there, and I hit it right there again. So it's my own fault. It's a bad swing.

Yeah, I'm very disappointed with the back nine. But, again, we'll get after it again tomorrow. I'm in a good spot, and hopefully I'm not too far off the lead.

Get out of this heat though. This is one of the hottest days I've ever played golf in.

Q. I know the putter magic wasn't there either. It was sometimes confused in terms of what the read was, what your eye saw. How do you try and match that when the book says one thing and your eye says another?
STEVE WHEATCROFT: It wasn't even the book so much as I was watching guys that were on the same line.

You know, 7 we were on the same line. Watched his putt go up there and kind of wobble a little bit left; my went right. That didn't make much sense to me.

Then I watched his putt break on 8; mine didn't at all. So it's frustrating when you see what happens. The green are really spiked up. I don't know who is out here with the metal spikes this week, but they are digging these greens up. I've never seen metal spikes leave this kind of tracks before.

It is what it is. Get after it tomorrow. See if we can find some of that magic again.

Q. How much did you drink on the front nine today?
STEVE WHEATCROFT: Probably 20 onces of water for the first 12 holes and started to feel myself cramping up still.

I had PediaLyte, coconut water, anything I could think of that would help me hydrate, and I'm still cramping up. It's just so humid out here and so out here. You just couldn't stay cool no matter what you did.

Q. The back nine agrees with you.
STEVE WHEATCROFT: Yeah, I played well on the back today. Got off to a great start. I was, what, 5-under on the back and could have been 9. I mean, I could have birdied all of them. I was hitting the ball really well. Misread a couple putts.

Yeah, just made the turn and I think the heat got to me a little bit and I got a little out of position there on 2 and just made a really sloppy bogey. Tried to stay patient, but I was getting frustrated with the heat and how hot I was getting and cramping up a little bit and things like that. No matter what I was doing, couldn't stop cramping up.

Q. You shot 29 on that side yesterday; you clearly like it.
STEVE WHEATCROFT: Yeah, I definitely like it. It's agreed with me. I been hitting the ball really well and found the fairways. Just tried to get myself in good positions with the approach shots. If you're in the middle of the fairway here you can attack the flags. If you're not, you got to play a little safer.

Yeah, I was very happy with the way I played the back the lasts two days.

Q. Same game plan tomorrow?
STEVE WHEATCROFT: Yeah. Just as aggressive as I can be. If I'm in the fairway, we're going at the flag. I know I'm swinging well, so why aim 20 feet left? Probably going to hit it 20 feet left. The irons have been really good; wedging have been great. Just need to tighten things up a little bit, and hopefully a good night of rest and get hydrated here and we'll come back out tomorrow.

Q. Still feel confident after having to grind the last four or five holes? It seemed like it was a grind for you. Will that impact the way you approach tomorrow?
STEVE WHEATCROFT: No. I mean, it was a grind, but I had a really good look at 7 and a really good look at 8. Just misread them. I watched my playing partner miss them and I thought I had the right read. Hit two great putts and didn't go in.

And then a bad drive on 9 just got my behind the eight ball there. Yeah, I'll do what I can tomorrow. It's always a grind out here. Golf is never that easy.

Yeah, hopefully I can just make a bunch of birdies and throw up another low one tomorrow.

Q. Speak to what it means to be in this position after 36 holes for you.
STEVE WHEATCROFT: Yeah, it's great. Any time I'm near the leader -- I think I'm a few back now, but at least in the final few groups where I can at least make a run and have a chance maybe on Sunday. Who knows?

But, yeah, it's been a rough year. Anywhere near the lead is good right now.

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