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THE 147TH OPEN

July 20, 2018

Pat Perez

Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom

Q. Quick trip to the range, frustration at 18, I guess?
PAT PEREZ: I don't want to talk to you guys. I just don't, if you want to be honest.

Q. Why not?
PAT PEREZ: What does it matter? What do you want to know? Fire it off. Fire away.

Q. You're one shot off the lead in the Open with 36 to go. Why does it not feel like that?
PAT PEREZ: It's good stuff.

Q. Great opportunity?
PAT PEREZ: Of course it is. Of course it is.

Q. Does links golf sort of excite you?
PAT PEREZ: It never did before, but now it does. But when it's like this, it has to be this way. It's got to be firm fairways and softer greens. It can't be the other way around. You know, I knew when I got here, I had a chance if I could just hit it straight. If I can hit it low and straight, I can get it down the fairways, and the greens I love. The greens are fantastic. There's not a lot of break in them. You can hit them hard. You can try to make them. I think this kind of setup is awesome. I love it.

And I've been fortunate with the wind and the rain all day, but you have to. I've been on the other side of it where I shot 82 at Birkdale, and it was like this in the afternoon. It is what it is. That's why you've got tee times for all day. It's pretty cool.

Q. It's like you (inaudible) is that hard?
PAT PEREZ: It is hard. Yeah, it is. She's going to the doctor actually right now. But we're going to be all right. I think she got maybe four to six weeks left, but I'm always thinking about them. You know, there's a lot going on. When you get tied for the lead and you got that going on, it's kind of a nice distraction for me. Kind of take my mind off it.

Q. Do you sneak to talk to her during the round?
PAT PEREZ: I have to turn my phone off. If anything was going on, she'd text Drew, and someone would get a message to me. Thank God for technology.

Q. Pat, how different are the tee shots today? Like 70-some-odd yard-average difference for you today as opposed to yesterday.
PAT PEREZ: How did you know that? I didn't even know that.

Q. I looked it up.
PAT PEREZ: I don't know. I can't think about it. Overall, I thought the course was great. I couldn't hit driver on 6 because I couldn't fly that second bunker. I don't want to hit it in. And going right is really no plus. I hit 4 iron, 4 iron, 9 iron, which I kind of like that play. That's what's so awesome about this place is you can play it so many different ways.

That's why the leaderboard where it is, that's what I was saying earlier in the week, I don't think you're going to get the long hitters -- of course you have them. They're great players. Rory and them, they're great players. They always have a chance of being there. But for a guy like me, I've got to hit straight. I've got to be able to putt really, really well to even have a chance.

Q. How would you assess your major performances over the years? You had a T6 at Baltrusol way back?
PAT PEREZ: Terrible. I won sixth. Didn't even break top five.

Q. Can you assess it?
PAT PEREZ: They're long. I don't hit it that long. I never have. You know, I knew when I got to Erin Hills and Shinnecock, there was no prayer. I mean, I knew it. 7,500-yard par 70, what am I going to do there? I finished, what, 36th? That was an ultimate win for me. The fact I was even there and made the cut, I thought that was fantastic.

You know, I haven't played Augusta enough, but even that's gotten long for me. You know, I don't know what it is. I don't really worry about them. They're nice to play. I'd like to win one. I mean, who wouldn't?

Q. Doesn't this make this championship much more gettable for you?
PAT PEREZ: It does. Once again, I don't put any extra pressure on me because it is still very hard. It only takes hitting in three bunkers, and you're over par immediately. I just happen to be out of them except for 18. You know, 18 is a bogey. But I can't really pinpoint it. The courses are very hard.

I've always played the PGA, but I've only played Augusta, what, three times, four times now. I've been over here, and this is, what, my fourth maybe, fifth. Depending on which Open, U.S. Open it is, what course it is, I'm not even going to try to qualify because this is going to be -- I can't wait for next year actually. Pebble is going to be awesome. I've played it so many times, I'm really looking forward to that. But that's more of a course that has my kind of length, like this one here. I think it's awesome.

It just shows you don't need courses to be 7,700 yards to make them tough. If a 6-under is leading, who cares? You played great to get to 6 under. There's guys at 10-over. It's not like everybody is at 6 under. I think they've done a phenomenal job with this course, and I know they won't let it go tomorrow.

Q. When you're in contention, as you are, and that continues on for you, at what point do you start thinking about winning? Or do you have to just shut that down until the 72nd hole?
PAT PEREZ: The best part for me is no one thinks that I can win. For me, that makes it easier to play. I don't have any pressure. I'm not Rory and Tiger and these guys that have won so many times, and they have the pressure of winning more of them. I would like to -- I'd like to do well. If I win, that would be -- you know, that would be amazing. But I'd like to do well. I'd like to stay steady for 36 more holes and play well, make some putts, and if I happen to be there somewhat near the end, that would be incredible.

I'm 42 years old. After having surgery two years ago, if you said, hey, you could be one off the lead at 42 in The Open. You can ask Tiger. He's done the same thing. He's had all these surgeries. He's back. He's happy to be playing again. In so many ways, that's the way I am too. It's hard to believe at 42 I'll be on top of my game.

Q. You've had a bit of a rebirth, haven't you?
PAT PEREZ: Yes. That's the great thing about this game. You can have 22-year-olds playing great. Phil, 48, winning world golf. That's what's so awesome about our sport. But if I'm there, I'm there. If I'm not, you know, I'm used to that.

Q. The appreciation you have for this place in particular? You were 20th last time you were here?
PAT PEREZ: I've played here numerous times. I play the Dunhill. There's something about this place that I think is fantastic. It's hard enough that I don't feel like I have to hit perfect shots. That's the best. Greens, you can kind of miss a shot, and it won't run off and go off the green 40 yards. You're still kind of on the green. You can putt. You can have a 60-footer and actually think about making it because of the speed. It's not something running it 15 on the Stimp.

So there's so many things I've learned over the years being here. You know, and I played it enough times now, I know where I'm going. I played all the wind. But once again, the setup is great. When I get on the green, I feel like I can make them.

Q. You like the whole vibe over here?
PAT PEREZ: I do. I didn't like it the first time I came over. When I went to St. Andrews in '05, I didn't like it because it was cold and terrible and this and that. Over the years, I've really learned to like to come over here. Plus the fans are so awesome here. They know a good shot. They don't laugh at you if you hit a bad shot.

They know that it's hard. The knowledge of those people are just phenomenal. That's what also makes it so special. You don't have drunk guys out in the bushes making fun of you. I mean, they're really knowledgeable. It's enjoyable to play here because, when they clap, they actually mean it, not just clapping to clap. That's what makes -- it makes it really special.

Q. Pat, what is your preferred beer in this country?
PAT PEREZ: I haven't really drank much. I'm more of a screwdriver guy myself. What did I drink last week? Yeah, screwdrivers. I don't drink much beer, to be honest with you.

Q. Scotch guy, no?
PAT PEREZ: A little bit of Woodford. That's when it goes dark. That's when bad nights happen.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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