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WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN

February 1, 2019

Gary Woodland

Scottsdale, Arizona

Q. The last two days the driver display. Talk about how you're hitting that driver.
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, I really got it dialed in right now. I drove the ball phenomenally, which is a little frustrating with where my score is, but I gave myself a lot of chances and out here that's huge. Especially on the par-5s because I can take advantage of those. So I've done that so far, but hopefully we can dial in the putter a little bit and get some putts going in this weekend.

Q. Your proximity to hole, probably not what you wanted, might be the cause of some of the putts not going in, but it looks like the speed of the greens is different.
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, I think they're probably a little bit slower than we anticipated. They look phenomenal, the greens are firm and the speed's like this -- I haven't got a ball to the hole yet. The wedge game, I think with the air a little bit I just haven't adapted yet. So hopefully we'll dial it in this week and be ready to go.

Q. (No Microphone.)
GARY WOODLAND: Obviously I'm happy with where I'm at. I would like to be a lot more under par right now, give myself chances, but the game feels really good so I'm excited about this week end.

Q. Last year you dominated the par-5s in victory, you know you birdied every one of them this week. Tell me about the round.
GARY WOODLAND: I drove the golf ball beautifully the first two days. Especially on the par-5s. That's huge. Because I have irons into those holes. It was nice this morning, we got a little wind switch there on 15 and I had 5-wood in, hit a beautiful shot in there. So I've given myself some looks at eagle which has been nice, but the way I'm playing, I feel good, I just got to get some putts to go in.

Q. Take me through the last few holes. I thought that was a great 2 at the 7th, probably a frustrating 5 at the 8th?
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, the lie got me, the ball was above my feet there, the wind off the right, I just overdid it on 8 which is frustrating because to make bogey there from the middle of the fairway. 9, I just didn't hit a good wedge shot. I had 123 yards, you got to get it closer than 30 feet. So we'll adjust with the wedges and be ready to go.

Q. You don't see many 2s at the 7th. That was great.
GARY WOODLAND: That was a nice one. I saw Hideki before me, I was fortunate to go after him, so I kind of saw, I adjusted the club a little bit off him I was going to hit it hard and I saw him fly 7 past so I hit a little easier 8.

Q. Thoughts on the weekend?
GARY WOODLAND: I'm excited. The way I'm driving the golf ball I think I have a really good chance. So if we get some putts to go in, it will be fun.

Q. Talk about your round today.
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, it was nice to get some birdies in early today. I drove the golf ball beautifully today and yesterday as well, I just didn't get enough out of the two rounds. But I'm excited about the way I'm driving because it allows me to play aggressive, especially in the par-5s and we'll get the speed down on the weekends and have a good time.

Q. Are you concerned at all about the weather on Sunday?
GARY WOODLAND: If it rains it's going to soften up, which I think benefits me. So it is what it is. But hopefully it misses us, hopefully it stays out west and we have a good time, because setting up, tomorrow we kind of, hopefully the rain got pushed back a little bit, so hopefully we can have a good time tomorrow, huge crowds, which will be fun, and hopefully we miss it on the weekend, get done hopefully before that Super Bowl.

Q. How is the crowd today?
GARY WOODLAND: Crowd was phenomenal. Obviously playing with Phil you're going to have a lot of people out there, but just as early, early in the round they were out there ready to, revved up. 16 was phenomenal today. The crowd's so respectful though. They're having a good time, but it's big out here for us on a Friday, for sure.

Q. Do you have an anecdote of something funny that happened? Crowd interaction?
GARY WOODLAND: They had a lot of guys from back home just chanting stuff from back home. So it was nice to get some support out there, especially playing with Phil, he obviously is a fan favorite so it's nice to get some people out there for me.

Q. How do you prepare for just the shear energy magnitude of that hole?
GARY WOODLAND: You got to stay within yourself. Obviously you got a little more adrenaline, you're a little more pumped up. With this big a crowd out here you got to feed off their energy, you got to use that to your advantage. Because if you come in here with a bad attitude they can definitely get the best of you, so come in here positive and enjoy every moment of it.

Q. (Question about playing with Amy.)
GARY WOODLAND: That was just as special as something I've ever done. She was amazing. I learned a lot from her. Just how positive she was, how she loved every moment, she wasn't worried about what people were thinking she was out there to have a good time and she did. And she executed, that was the best part. She hit a great shot off the tee box -- I was trying to get the ball out of the bunker for her and she is like, no, I got this. She goes in, knocks it out of the bunker and then she hit the putt center cut. It was awesome to see. She's a very, very special girl.

Q. Do you have a Super Bowl prediction at all?
GARY WOODLAND: It's hard to bet against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, so I would say New England 31-28.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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