	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 11, 2019

Matt Kuchar

Honolulu, Hawaii

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome our current 36-hole leader into the interview room for the 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii. You're sitting 14 under. Comments on how was it out there today.

MATT KUCHAR: Just two great days. To shoot 7-under back to back is unexpected, but certainly awfully excited. Love the golf course. It's a challenging one. If you play well you can make birdies; if you don't you're going to make bogeys.

Been on some good form, so felt really good yesterday; today probably wasn't quite as clean. I think I hardly missed a fairway yesterday and today missed a handful. Boy, the golf course gets tough when you're playing from the rough. Even if you have short clubs in your hand it's challenging. I took advantage early and started out with three straight birdies, 10, 11, 12, and kind of continued the good play from yesterday.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I know it's kind of tough to quantify, but can you remember having back-to-back rounds like that?
MATT KUCHAR: Had to be Mexico.

Q. You sure? Then it's not hard to quantify. Never mind. (Laughter.) Kind of a sidenote, I saw you Sybi. I think you were going to go play tennis. How often do you guys do that and who wins those matches?
MATT KUCHAR: We don't compete that much anymore on the tennis court. We play a lot with the kids. Our youngest loves tennis. Sybi and I have become more ball feeders than tennis players.

We have a teacher that travels with us that plays tennis in Florida that helps with the kids and occasionally I get out and play with. I don't stand a chance against him, but love to try. Sybi and I are more ball feeders and rally and not much playing a match.

Q. If at all, did Mexico take any weight off your shoulders and just allow you to be more free wheeling than you may've been in the last five years?
MATT KUCHAR: I don't know if I would say weight off your shoulders. More just a real sense of pride and enjoyment. Certainly been a while for me. I know it's hard getting in the winner's circle. It's an amazing feeling, and I think there is just a bit of a high that goes with it.

I wouldn't tell you weight off my shoulders, but it's been an awfully nice high.

Q. Has it freed you up at all coming forward from there?
MATT KUCHAR: I want to say last year I probably -- I don't know what you say -- grind, grinded more than -- I'm not sure what the past tense is. Ground harder than I've done in the past.

Q. Tried really hard.
MATT KUCHAR: Tried harder. Close to Ryder Cup I was on the outside of a couple things and felt like I hadn't been used to being in that situation. Felt like I tried harder than I have in the past.

So now being in good shape it's certainly a nice place to be. Freed up? I'm not sure. I still kind of attack the game the same way.

Q. Hopefully the answer isn't that you shot the low score, but what does winning golf look like to Matt Kuchar? When you're able to win, what are you doing better than weeks you're not winning?
MATT KUCHAR: Driving is a big deal for me, driving it well; putting well. Those two things. When I've played well I've been in really good control. I play typically a little fade and I can just rely on it. Kind of my misses aren't left. If I miss I miss right, and I feel like I can kind of play with that. If I'm struggling, I think I tend to miss left more often than I'm comfortable with.

When I'm on good form I can kind of count on those shots.

Q. You've played well here over the years but it's been a couple years since you've been back. How much did you miss being out on this course?
MATT KUCHAR: I love it here. It's one of my favorite stops on the TOUR. I love the golf course. I love the island of Hawaii, the culture. It's a great week. I love the simplicity of this week, staying on property and just so many great things about this week.

So certainly missed, and glad to be back.

Q. What's the longest you've ever stayed in Hawaii at one time, and do you have more fun when you're just here or when you're playing?
MATT KUCHAR: Both playing golf, and I love the combination of playing tournaments and vacation. I know this week, last week, the kids have had some fun activities where I have not been able to participate and I kind of get a little bit jealous. I would like to be out in the water, hiking, whatever it may be that they're doing.

But I think we've spent four or five weeks consecutively is our most, and love having the combination of a tournament or two and a couple weeks of vacation time.

Q. That four or five weeks included some playing?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah. Yeah.

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT KUCHAR: Typically we're going to go next two weeks, week Kauai on and a week On the Big Island.

Q. How many have you missed?
MATT KUCHAR: How many have I missed? I've not been to Molokai, and then -- I think there are eight, right? I'm not sure. I've done the Big Island, Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Kauai. What am I missing? Molokai?

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT KUCHAR: Definitely not done either one of those.

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT KUCHAR: Not done that one either. Not sure I want to.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions?

Q. You don't like this line of questioning?
THE MODERATOR: No, I'm just curious. Always giving me a hard time. We good? Okay, thanks.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297