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ABERDEEN STANDARD INVESTMENTS SCOTTISH OPEN

July 11, 2019

Matt Kuchar

North Berwick, Scotland

Q. You're having your best year at the age of 41 with two wins and two runner-up finishes. What do you make of that assessment?
MATT KUCHAR: It certainly seems that way if you're just looking at on paper and results. It's been a great year. I've really enjoyed it. Golf is fun when you're playing well. It's even fun when you're not playing well. I've had a couple of those and it just kind of drives me to kind of fix things and get better. But right now, when it's going well, I'm really enjoying it.

Q. What's preparation like, recovery like at this point in your career versus a decade ago?
MATT KUCHAR: I think the same. I still feel like I'm a 26-year-old kid. I know there are some mornings where I really know I'm not 26, but I feel like that. I feel like there's still that excitement for the game, that love for the game where when I come to a place like this, I come to the Scottish Open and I can't wait to play here and I can't wait for next week. There's still a love and a passion and excitement for it.

Q. Some Americans come over here and under figure out links golf and never fall in love with it. You have. Why?
MATT KUCHAR: I know that early on in my career, probably my first ten years, my track record at the British Open was not very good. Always loved it but always went home scratching my head going, how do I figure this out, how do I get better, and The Scottish Open has been great for me. I enjoy coming to tournaments that are held at great courses and getting an extra chance to be competitive on links golf, I've really enjoyed.

Q. An amazing opening round, how do you feel coming out of that just now today?
MATT KUCHAR: 8-under is far better than I thought. Conditions were pretty easy when we started the round. Still, 8-under on a links golf course, I didn't see those kind of scores for myself, or even for anybody. Wind picked up there the last two hours. It was challenging. I was awfully glad to keep the ball in play and I snuck in a couple eagles which were awfully helpful.

Q. Let's talk about the eagles. Where did they come from?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, I'm not one to overpower par 5s but was able to get home on two on both of them. I had one makeable putt probably 15 foot for eagle and the other was probably a 50-footer, one you never expect to make but was hoping to lag up and on its last ball trickle in the hole. Exciting to see balls disappear when you're not sure they are going to, and when they do it feels great.

Q. It's been a while since you have been playing links golf, the Dunhill in October?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, that's right. I sure do enjoy it over here. I've got so many great friends, just in this area, the East Lothian area has fantastic golf and made a number of great friends here, and always love my stay.

Q. Six birdies and two eagles for a round of 63. What pleased you most about your play today?
MATT KUCHAR: It was good, steady play. Drove it well. Found a lot of fairways. Here, I think links golf, keeping it out of those pot bunkers is such a crucial thing. Those are basically shot penalties and fortunately today, I didn't find one. That was the most pleasing part.

Q. Wind picked up later in the round. Did it get more challenging?
MATT KUCHAR: It did. It did get a lot more challenging. I think all three of us that were playing together kind of were scratching our heads on a couple of approach shots, a couple of shots into greens played really, really long. It just got cold and it feels like it's a heavy air here that sometimes you're not quite prepared for.

Q. You've played here a couple of times in the past. How valuable was that prior knowledge?
MATT KUCHAR: I always think being able to execute is so much more valuable than course knowledge. I have played a couple rounds here. I think it's a good, fun golf course. They have got great facilities. To be able to come and just have fun links golf rounds is enjoyable.

As far as course knowledge, I don't think I had anymore course knowledge than anybody else with a couple extra rounds under my belt, but this is a fun course to play, and one I do look forward to every year.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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