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SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 11, 2020

Kevin Kisner

Honolulu, Hawaii

Q. Well played: 7 birdies, 6-under; low round of the week shot so far. Bogey at 2 and then you got on a roll. Is the early part of this golf course playing really tough today?
KEVIN KISNER: It's all playing tough in the gusty wind. I think it's calmed down a little bit later in the round allowing to you attack a little bit more than earlier in the week.

I just stated to make some of those 15, 20 foot putts that I haven't made all week. That's how you shoot a low score.

Q. How much of an advantage do you think it was for you playing in the wind last week over in Kapalua? Different golf courses, but did that helps hospital this week?
KEVIN KISNER: I think that's the biggest key to the whole week, is seeing how the golf ball was flying last week; not coming fresh off the couch and Christmas break and trying to play in these conditions. So I told my caddie that we're going to be more prepared than most of the guys.

Q. Obviously came into the third round 2-under, just four out of the lead. Does that inspire you a little bit?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, you know, it's crazy how packed it is now that we've gone to 65 and ties, and in conditions like that, cut seven shots from the leader.

So I knew if you could get it going here you could shoot something low and get up there in the chance to win. Hopefully tomorrow the conditions will produce some more low scores.

Q. 14 was kind of a crazy hole. You missed your tee shot to the right and then hit a shot that was online for the pin; might have been coming up a little bit. Hit a sprinkler head, goes all the way over the back of the green, and you almost hole it. What are you thinking during all that?
KEVIN KISNER: You know, when you're 4- or 5-udner you've have some good breaks in this weather, so you got to take the bad in stride. I was fortunate enough to get a decent lie after the tee ball and have it coming down the flag. I was loving it. My caddie even said he thought it flew right in the hole.

It was a little unfortunate break, but hit that putt and made up for it.

Q. Low round of the week so far. What was working so well for you?
KEVIN KISNER: I been hitting the ball beautifully, controlling my distance really well and my flight all week, and I just started to hole putts.

Made a couple bombs early on the front nine and jump started the round. If you can get a few under on this golf course, you can feel like you can attack more and you don't have to play as safe.

Q. Now you've been playing. Played four rounds last week and now three here. Starting to feel like you're getting hang of these conditions and that's where maybe this round came from?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, I was just telling them I think last week is huge key to how I'm playing this week, preparing for the wind, seeing how the ball is flying, really preparing myself for the different kind of flights you got to hit to control your distance around here, which is a key at Waialae.

Q. Is this course -- it's a course that seems to really fits your eye. Is this a course you like to come play?
KEVIN KISNER: Yes. One of the few left on TOUR. I got to be able to make some hay when the sun tends to shine, so I feel like I got to go after it. It's a shorter, ball-strikers' paradise. Got to control your ball off the tee and distance into the greens.

So I feel comfortable, and hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow.

Q. When you get into these situations where you're in contention heading into Sunday, are there different parts of maybe other wins that you maybe draw on to help you with what goes on on Sunday?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah. You just try to stay in the process. You can't really worry about the result. I just try to start off on that first tee and hit a good one and keep doing the things I been doing all week and look up coming down the stretch and see what I need to do.

Q. How did you play today?
KEVIN KISNER: Managed a two-putt from 20 feet for birdie on the last for 64.

Q. Did you feel like a 64 was in the cards in this weather?
KEVIN KISNER: You know, I feel like I could have shot three or four both the first two days, so I knew that I could do better than I did. I feel like the wind is not as brutal as it was the first two days.

We're hopefully on the mend on the 40 mile-per-hour gusts.

Q. You still get some gusts out of nowhere, don't you?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah. It's not nearly as bad as the first two days. Nowhere even close.

Q. So it's an easy golf course then?
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, super easy.

Q. Feel like you can be more aggressive?
KEVIN KISNER: I feel like here if you get under par early you can be more aggressive, couple under through 6, and that way I can attack and maybe hit some more clubs off the tee that I wasn't trying to get closer to the green.

Q. What was your best birdie today?
KEVIN KISNER: Made a long one on 7 from about 35 feet for birdie. That hole was playing brutal;6-iron from 150 yards.

Q. Did you think you made it on 14?
KEVIN KISNER: I didn't. I saw the whole thing go down, but my caddie thought it flew straight in the hole. He's getting old. Have to get his eyes checked. See that one?

Q. (Regarding sprinkler head.)
KEVIN KISNER: Yeah. I think it probably would've been a really good shot, too.

Q. Never know, will we?
KEVIN KISNER: No. And then Jonesy put his hand up as my ball was going in from 90 feet and it lipped out, and I told him to put his hand down.

Q. Rookie mistakes.
KEVIN KISNER: I told him, I says, Man, good Lord.

Q. What's your - I don't want to say excitement level, because I know you were happy about being there last week, too -- you feel like it's more of a fair fight this week?
KEVIN KISNER: Absolutely. Yeah, the golf course last week wasn't conducive for anybody that drives it 275. There are very few left that are on this tour. Yes, you can still compete, you just got to hoop more putts.

Q. Didn't you say you were the leader of like -- what division would that be?
KEVIN KISNER: The B Flight. Yeah, for sure. Anybody that owns Tier 3 drivers, me and Kuch.

Q. That give you confidence coming into this week?
KEVIN KISNER: Well, yeah, absolutely. B flight, Tier 3 division, tied for first, all the confidence in the world.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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