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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 18, 2019

Rob Labritz

Farmingdale, New York

ROB LABRITZ: I don't want today to ends. I don't want this week to end. I just need to hit more fairways. If I can hit some fairways, I can score a lot. I didn't hit enough fairways to score low, so my score reflected it, 74.

Q. You're one of the few golfers here that has your own contingent of fans with your name on the shirts. Have you noticed what are your thoughts?
ROB LABRITZ: I just love it. I love getting the crowd behind everything here. I love interacting with them. I'm a PGA pro. I'm not a TOUR player. So any bit that I can do this and make everybody's day and make them have a good time out here and get the crowds going, that's what I'm all about.

Q. Where does this weekend rank for you?
ROB LABRITZ: We'll see. I have two children that were born. I mean, yeah, top, top one, top two. Just awesome. Incredible week.

Q. Was it a big relief to get up this morning and just say, I'm going to free-wheel it and try to be relaxed today, more relaxed?
ROB LABRITZ: I was. I was totally relaxed today. I felt in my comfort zone. I felt good. I wasn't nervous. Wasn't shaking. I just felt great out there. And you know, if I just hit a few more fairways, things could have been different, that's all. It's just getting the ball in that fairway.

Q. This is round 72 for you in competition on this golf course.
ROB LABRITZ: Yes, round 72, and I feel comfortable and I just love it and I wish this week wouldn't end.

Q. You know how difficult this is. How do you look at what Brooks has done and try to make sense of how good he's been?
ROB LABRITZ: Well, this is why I'm a PGA professional (laughter). Because I don't want to go up against Brooks Koepka week-after-week. I've got a nice little job. I can pop myself into these positions and pop myself into local tournaments and maybe get into a TOUR event here or there, maybe an Open, maybe the Champions Tour.

But Brooke is playing ridiculous golf. He's got a ton of confidence. I watched the interviews with him yesterday. He's the man right now. I can't say anything else but he's the man. I don't know him. Never met him but I've got high respect for his ability to hit the golf ball around the golf course. It's pretty impressive.

Q. Have you been able to watch him hit it at all? Have you ever crossed paths with him here?
ROB LABRITZ: No, the only time I crossed paths was when I watched on TV. I'm teeing off at 8:40. He's teeing off at 2:40. I think I'll be done with practicing by the time he goes off.

Q. Is he playing the same golf course everybody else is playing?
ROB LABRITZ: He's obviously hitting it a lot longer than a lot of the guys, and out here, if you can get it past the stuff, you're going to have wedges in your hand, even if you hit it in the rough. Whereas he's got me by 20 yards, I've got 8- or 7-iron coming out of the rough and I'm 178 pounds versus whatever he is. It just takes a lot more strength to get the ball moving out of the rough.

Q. How does it feel to be playing on the weekend? What's it like? You had to work to do it.
ROB LABRITZ: You see this smile? I was reflecting with my wife this morning, we were talking a little bit, and she just said, you know, we've been prepping for this for a while. I told you guys, we've been prepping for this for the last year or so and I'm starting to really feel comfortable out there. I mean, I feel comfortable out there. I'm going to continue to prep and continue to work and continue to be the best PGA pro that I can be.

Q. What's the vibe, when you're here all the time, here for the State Open, and you see this on the same grounds. What's that like?
ROB LABRITZ: It is surreal because, you know, I played the state open here countless times since 1997, and just walking to the first tee and feeling the crowds behind you, I think I've seen five guys watch me tee off in the final round of the State Open, right, versus, I don't even know how many fans are out there. It's just incredible. And to hear them throw shirts and hats up at me, it's just incredible, an incredible experience.

I was talking to Corey when we came down and I said, "I'm sorry you guys have to do this all the time." It's incredible. Just blessed to be here.

Q. Would you estimate how many in Rob's Mob?
ROB LABRITZ: I don't know, hopefully growing. I'd like to get a big contingent, that would be cool, a couple million, I don't know.

Q. Are you in the U.S. Open sectional?
ROB LABRITZ: Shot 1-under. Missed by two.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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