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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 11, 2019

Vaughn Taylor

Silvis, Illinois

Q. Did you get something working out there or just an adjustment or just patience until you found something?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Mostly patience and made a couple really nice putts that helped. I played good early, just kind of lost some momentum on a couple holes, and couldn't get a putt to go early. But I made a little adjustment in my aim with the putter and they started going in, so it was nice.

Q. Three in a row, including driving the 14th green. Was there ever any doubt you were going to go for it?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: It was just the up tee today, so it was perfect for me. The back tee would have been a stretch. But just having that up tee, that gave me an opportunity there.

Q. Talk about the golf course because I thought with all the rain that we've had in the area, the greens would really be almost mush. That's not the case, is it?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: No, they're firming up. The course is right there to be dried out very easily. I'm pleased that -- it's really exciting to see it this way. We usually get a lot of thunderstorms and balls just plugging everywhere. The fairways are rolling out and the greens are bouncing, so it's fun.

Q. Nice opening-round 65 for you. We were talking about the difference between the front nine and the back nine and how funky the holes are playing today given the wind and the weather. Tell us about the flow of what today looked like.
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Well, as warm as it was, the course was playing short, and the fairways were rolling out and the greens were a little firm. The wind direction today made a few holes that are normally really difficult, made them play short and easy. It was just some holes you had to -- par was a good score and you had to take advantage of those holes that were playing easier.

Q. Hard to believe but three weeks left in the regular season. You are pretty secure with your FedExCup standings as it stands right now. What kind of things are you looking for this year?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I'd love to get in the British this week. That's kind of my goal this week. Just want to put myself in position to get in the TOUR Championship is probably what I'm looking for right now. It seems weird that the season is almost over, but there's only a few weeks left. Still got to get out there and play well.

Q. One spot left in the Open Championship awarded on Sunday. Talk about your season as a whole. You've had a sneaky good season, a few top 10 finishes. What's been the key to your consistent play?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: A little bit of everything actually. Been hitting it better, but the putter has definitely come around this year. I've been putting poorly for a few years now, and putting is just such a key part of the game, and just really kept a lot of rounds together for me and takes some backup finishes and kind of creeps me up in the top 30. Just overall, though, everything has been pretty solid.

Q. What went well for you out there today?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I hit it well and putted well, to be honest. It was a really good ball-striking day early and couldn't get some putts to go, and then the putter started heating up, and I kind of started putting them both together. Overall I did everything pretty well.

Q. What was the difference front to back?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, just the putter. I missed a few putts early and just hit a couple -- got out of position on a couple holes and made bogey. But mostly the putter.

Q. You're one of the few guys in the afternoon wave to move up the leaderboard. What's that do for your confidence heading into tomorrow where conditions should be easier in the morning?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, you know, it was nice to get out here and play well with firmer conditions and the wind blowing a little bit. It was just fun. It was a good test. Had to flight some shots in the wind, and it was just good overall to help me improve the rest of the week, I think.

Q. You've a guy that's been here before. Did getting here kind of bring back memories like hey, I can do this stuff again?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, I've played well here in the past and always love the golf course and the tournament. Just felt comfortable here. I think it's a great golf course for me, and I look forward to it every year.

Q. Being high on the leaderboard after day one, how do you go into day two? Do you change anything, keep things the same?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, probably just keep the same thing going. Scores are usually low here, so you've just got to keep pushing and keep making birdies.

Q. As sort of a veteran of this tournament, do you gather on previous experiences? How do you use that this year?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, absolutely. The more you play here, the more you learn where not to hit it and where you want to be. Probably hit it everywhere, good and bad, and it makes you smarter out there. You make better decisions when you know what's going on.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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