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SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 18, 2019

Chris Baker

Jackson, Mississippi

THE MODERATOR: All right, Chris, first start here at Sanderson Farms Championship. Take us through the mindset going into tomorrow.

CHRIS BAKER: Yeah, second week on the PGA TOUR. Looking forward to what opportunities are ahead. Yeah, love the golf course. Great place. Rewards good shots and can punish some not-so-good ones. A lot of great opportunities.

Yeah, just excited.

THE MODERATOR: You had seven Top 10s on the Korn Ferry Tour last season; kind of an up and down Tour Championship where you came through in the clutch, got your card. How does that help you out here?

CHRIS BAKER: A lot of good results last year, so I think that tells me that I can do it. Gives me confidence that good golf is there for sure, so we'll keep rolling with that.

Yeah, the end of the year was obviously ups and downs. Evansville was amazing. Yeah, set up for success, working hard; we'll be ready to go.

Q. How much does the Korn Ferry Tour help you in terms of establishing your competitive game? What kind of steppingstone is that tour for coming out here? I know you're still getting your feet wet out here.
CHRIS BAKER: Yeah, Korn Ferry Tour is very competitive. I unfortunately win in any of my years out there, but just shows how difficult it is to win on the Korn Ferry Tour. They've had extreme success on this tour as well. You've seen guys come from that tour to playing on the PGA TOUR winning, keeping their card, making it through to the FedExCup.

Yeah, I mean, this year I guess one guy from the Korn Ferry Tour previous season that played in the TOUR Championship, so definitely some success. It teaches you how to travel, play good golf, manage yourself, manage just everything that comes with playing professional golf, so it's huge.

Q. One quick follow-up. Honda your first tour start?
CHRIS BAKER: Yeah, I played Honda in I think in 2015 or 2016.

Q. Yeah. What was it like stepping out on that kind of stage? That's a hole 'nother level out there. Did that bring a lot of nerves or did you feel like, This is the atmosphere I belong in?
CHRIS BAKER: I would say 2015 I wasn't ready. I definitely wasn't used to all that atmosphere commotion, and Honda is a very difficult golf course, so a difficult place to have your debut PGA TOUR event.

Yeah, definitely more -- feel more comfortable now a few years later playing on the Korn Ferry. Just kind of feel more at ease. Last week was my first week on the PGA TOUR, and albeit I didn't play great, I was way more relaxed and comfortable. I think the stress I've had on the Korn Ferry Tour trying to lock up my card and then that final event in Evansville, so just all that come together and made me a better player.

I think it's something I can build on this year and further along.

Q. Are there guys out here, established players, that you've kind of looked up to and picked off for questions and advice?
CHRIS BAKER: Yeah, for sure. Past champion Peter Malnati. We're good friends. We played college golf together. He set me up with a place this week to stay. We travel a lot talk a lot.

Then there are a lot of the guys. I live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, so there is a bunch of guys there. Good community, good group of guys. Yeah, seeing their success is awesome to see and motivating for me to get to that level as well. It's great.

Q. As much as it's a relief to have your card and be out here, what's the mindset like? Obviously a pretty full fall schedule. How are you using your newly-found tour status to further yourself?
CHRIS BAKER: Yeah, didn't get a second to breathe. I had a week off after Evansville and then there was the hurricane in Jacksonville. Yeah, just going to go back at it. It's the same. It's still golf, although it's the PGA TOUR and next level.

Competition is more difficult; golf courses are great. Just going to keep doing what I'm doing: work hard, believe, practice, and prepare as hard as I can.

Fall back on that, and hopefully it works out.

Q. (No microphone.)
CHRIS BAKER: Most random place tour. 2010. I was in Kazakhstan. Pretty random. Yeah. But Kazakhstan, Russia, that's the farthest I've been. I would say that's pretty random. Cool place. Don't need to go back.

But cool place. (Laughter.)

Q. (No microphone.)
CHRIS BAKER: Yeah, very close. I mean, 2013, 2012 and '13, those were the years. I played Korn Ferry Tour basically every year since 2011, and '12 and '13 I had no status anywhere. Played mini tours. Was going to hang it up. I think it's been written and said a few times.

Won a tournament in 2013, Cedar Rapids Open in Iowa, and had it not been for that, who knows? I was looking into other possibilities, pursuing other things, trying to do whatever.

But won that tournament, paid for Q-School, paid off some bills, and worked out. Got through Q-School that year. Not sure what I did at Q-School, but got full Korn Ferry Tour status that year, and every since it's been great.

Q. Is it cool kind of seeing all these guys at PGA events that came up through the Korn Ferry Tour?
CHRIS BAKER: Yeah, no, it's awesome. Like I said, seeing their success, it's awesome to watch being friends with them. It's motivating as well. I've played with them and practiced and done everything with them. Seeing them play well and do well is awesome for them and awesome for me to help me motivate and stay with it and believe it's something I can do as well, so...

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