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AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 12, 2019

Jack Wagner

Stateline, Nevada

Q. 21 points today. Right back in the thick of it. Why don't you take us through your round, tell us what was good, bad and indifferent.
JACK WAGNER: Okay, I started on the back nine and just made a bunch of pars. Hit it behind a tree on 15; made a bogey; hit 18 in two and 2-putted and made a birdie, and it really was kind of just that kind of round. The bogeys I had were just -- I just had a little bit of an errant shot and put myself into a place where I couldn't really get up-and-down. And I just had three birdies.

So it was a little dull, but clearly it's enough to be in the 20s. I think anytime you get in the 20s the first day or so you're going to be probably in the top five or so. That's where I find myself, three bogeys and three birdies.

Q. We're looking back on the two years that you won. You know those off top of your head.
JACK WAGNER: 2006, 2011, I'm not sure. (Laughter).

Q. Eight years since the last time. How do you feel going into the second round?
JACK WAGNER: I feel fantastic. Monday, I know it doesn't count, but I was 7-under Monday after 11 holes. Shot a 66; lowest round ever. I putted well. I'm hitting the ball really well for me. I started a new conditioning routine. So I'm just physically in a really healthy place and my mindset's pretty positive in terms of having had some pretty good rounds in the last month, playing a lot with Mardy Fish. We're both members of Bel-Air Country Club. So we kind of go at each other pretty hard.

Last year I was working and I flew in Wednesday. The last few years I really wasn't prepared. This year I feel quite prepared and I'm a little bit confident, which is nice. So today I didn't really make any putts.

So I look forward to the weekend to really kind of test my game. And I'm turning 60 in a few months. So I'm happy to still be amongst these young studs battling away.

Q. You talk about physical. And over the years you've been teased by some of these athletes who you're referring to because you're the, quote/unquote, nonathlete or actor or entertainer to have won this event. So what's the standard line you're laying on these guys?
JACK WAGNER: I do the elliptical. Doesn't that count?

Q. Almost 60. Does it feel even sweeter to be where you're at as you're 60 and these guys are in their 30s and 40s?
JACK WAGNER: Thank you for saying that, by the way. I guess it does. Yeah. I guess there's sort of like -- I guess the word is gratitude, right? I'm pretty grateful for the fact that I'm still doing music and I'm on a TV series and I'm playing golf on television. I've kind of done this for 35 years. So I'm just -- every day, not to sound corny, but I am on The Hallmark Channel -- so I'm going to come with a quality of love and kindness. It's inbred in the actors on this network.

But, no, I'm really grateful that my body's in shape, that I can still hit the gym hard; that I don't have any real big knee or back issues, which I think most of the guys here struggle with, they have.

So I'm just really happy to be physically able to compete still.

Q. And as Mulder with the three in a row and Romo, as these guys have won the last four, five, six years, did you think you'd be back in this position again?
JACK WAGNER: Yeah. No, I mean it's only the first day. I have to play well for two more days to have a chance, clearly. But I mean I didn't play particularly well today. I played solid. But it wasn't like it was anything lights out. I didn't get on a roll or anything. And I think that happened -- I saw the leaderboard, a lot of guys are like that. Mardy Fish, Jeremy Roenick, Mike Modano, Mulder, all under 20 points, which is not at all like their games. I don't know where Steph is. He didn't play well either?

Q. Dell's leading Steph.
JACK WAGNER: Dell's leading Steph. That's good news.

Q. Steph just eagled 18.
JACK WAGNER: So he jumped up there. Tony is probably at 25 or 6. So that's where the leaders should be. Whoever the leader is should be shooting 2- or 3-under par.

Q. Mentioned you went off the back who did you play with?
JACK WAGNER: Vinny Del Negro and Tim Wakefield.

Q. Two good golfers as well. Now you'll be with Smoltz, Mulder, Romo, those kind of guys. Would you rather be in that situation, going off number one?
JACK WAGNER: Yeah, no, whatever the reason I went off 10, it doesn't matter to me. The last time I went off 10 was about three or four years ago, and I was leading after the first day. So I think I get a little angry that I'm on 10.

But I love the guys I played with today. It's fun to play with the guys that are going to have a chance to win, but it's also fun to play with guys that are just great guys that love to play golf and may not score quite as well as some of the others.

So, listen, we all have really developed some really cool friendships up here and we root for each other. I'm not out there rooting against anyone and neither are they. No, I'll be really happy to be in amongst the leaders tomorrow. I want to be right there grinding away.

Q. The first time you won in 2006, your first day you had a 23. You were two points below that, so, if you can keep up that pace. Now, you said you had a new workout routine, is that new workout routine on the elliptical?
JACK WAGNER: No, I've added some hot yoga, some high-level, like C2. I've kind of put that in my act. And I'm doing -- I'm just doing what I've kind of always done. And I do this intermediate fasting now. So I'll go 16 hours without food and then eight hours with food.

And I found that it's really taken any of the body fat that I've always struggled with -- not too much for me; I've stayed in pretty good shape. But it's also given me a -- I'm little stronger than I used to be. So I just feel good, and so I think that has a lot to do with my attitude.

Q. It's been mentioned you and Jim McMahon are the two guys that have played in all 30 events. You mentioned you're about to turn 60. The first time you played here was half a lifetime ago. How does that make you feel?
JACK WAGNER: I can throw it back to you guys. Age is just kind of a number, isn't it? I think it's just a number. We just kind of see it all go by. Life's just going to move on with or without us, isn't it?

So, again, I get back to this place of really grateful to be in here talking, which means I played well. And secondly, to be amongst you guys. We've all grown together, here, right, Phil?

And what a blessing to just kind of continue to have this event going on and be a part of it. That's kind of how I feel.

Q. I know it's always nice to rise in those leaderboards and keep that competitive mindset. But how important is it for you to just have fun and kind of soak in the time you play up here?
JACK WAGNER: Real important. Thank you for bringing that up. I mean, I really work on my breathing. I feel the air. I look at the trees. I listen to the water. And I'm working on that more and more in my life of mindfulness in general. And it's really helping my golf game, because I'm not taking things, getting so pissed off anymore.

It's like, well, you know, bogey, missed that green. So, yeah, I really do take in the beauty up here, the company I'm with, and also focused on my breathing.

Q. Was that an adjustment you made to prior events, prior tournaments, for that matter, that you kind of just appreciated each hole you played?
JACK WAGNER: No, it is a bit of an adjustment. Thanks for bringing that up.

Q. I watched you a couple days ago on the putting green with Mardy. Who won?
JACK WAGNER: I think his four-year-old son did. (Laughter). I think he won.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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