PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 6, 2020

Adam Scott

Harding Park Golf Club

Flash Quotes

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome back to the 2020 PGA Championship here at TPC Harding Park. We are pleased to be joined by Adam Scott, who opened with a 68 today.

A little choppier perhaps on the front but then the more familiar play we are used to from you. What transitioned you back to who you usually are?

ADAM SCOTT: Look, I just hit it in the rough a lot on the front nine. Took me four or five holes to kind of figure out my comfort lines on the tee. You know, I'll give myself a break on having not played any competitive golf for a while, that it took me awhile to find my rhythm out there, but I worked hard and it didn't slip away from me, which I was really happy with. Ground it out on the back nine, because the wind got strong as we got around to around 13, which that was challenging with it coming in hard off the left shoulder.

So I'm very happy with that score today.

Q. This is your first time playing with Bryson, seeing it up close. What were your impressions of his style of golf, playing with him today?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, he's hitting it long. There's no doubt about it. Not to like put him down any, but I thought it was going to be longer (laughter). There's been so much buildup, me reading the news and listening to him and watching him play, I thought I was going to see like almost one of those long-drive guys.

Q. Happy Gilmore.

ADAM SCOTT: Almost. Look, he hits it really far, but fortunately I still hit it long enough to not feel like I'm playing a different golf course, completely. Maybe that's just this course, though.

Q. Can you run us through your take on when his driver smashed into two pieces?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I mean, I think it just broke as he hit the -- as he hit the shot. Definitely made a funny sound and the ball had a funny flight, and then he hardly even leaned on it and the shaft snapped. He says it happens when you swing as hard as him.

Q. You've obviously given yourself a pass; I feel like you often say the cliché, you can't win it on the first day, but you can definitely lose it. Given the rustiness you may have had, you must be really pleased coming in.

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I'm very happy with my round. It wasn't really rusty. I guess a little bit. I actually thought like the scoring stuff was really not rusty. It was really good, and it needed to be around here. But I just kind of lined myself up; I hit good shots, but I was just a little too square on a few of the drives, and they came out right.

You know, if I can just correct that for tomorrow and get three or four more in the fairway, you can create some opportunities. It was starting to get pretty tricky out there. It was not easy to aim left coming in at the trouble and trust the wind to bring it back. That's the challenge of this golf course. There's some good shots to be played down the stretch.

Q. Even after all the golf you've played, was it a unique feeling going to that first tee for you today, and how do you feel being back?

ADAM SCOTT: It was probably the most calm I've ever been going to the first tee of a major, that's for sure. I think I was -- I caught myself out twice when I think -- I think Rickie teed off first, one of the most popular guys on Tour, and when there was dead silence, not even a clap from the few volunteers that were around, that took me aback. I made a putt on the second hole and had an instant reaction to put my hand up, but there was no appreciation to be thankful for. After that, I just took it easy.

Q. How did it feel to be back?

ADAM SCOTT: It felt great. Obviously nice to see everyone, catch up a little bit and play some major championship golf. It's a great situation to be in for me.

Q. If today was rusty, how confident are you building on that score as the tournament progresses?

ADAM SCOTT: You know, it would be nice if there was something else like that out there tomorrow morning. Maybe it's going to be a little more windy than they had this morning. But nice to put a score on the board. If I can chip away tomorrow morning and put myself in a pretty strong position starting the weekend, you know, hopefully I can really find my rhythm over the next three days and hit a couple more fairways and a couple of more shots in close to the hole. The putting feels great, so I'd like to give myself those opportunities.

Q. You've sort of been building to this event particularly; what do you put that down to?

ADAM SCOTT: I missed the first bit of that, sorry, mate.

Q. The first two years in this event you've been building on it; what is it about this event that you're starting to get ahold of?

ADAM SCOTT: Look, I think the courses have suited me the last couple years. You know, they are difficult, but if you drive it well and you're solid with your irons, you can create some opportunities, and that doesn't happen all four days because they are still very demanding, but I've taken advantage of a few good days, played with some low rounds and making some putts. You know, if you throw a mid-60s round in at any major, that's almost enough to kind of keep you in the mix for the whole event.

It would be nice to see something like that happen over the next couple days.

Q. I don't know how often you impress yourself on the golf course, but given the fact you haven't had a scorecard in your hand in a long time, are you impressed with today's round?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I was, thanks, Rex. I'll give myself a good grade on today. Of course, there wasn't, you know, the anticipation like going to tee off in a major with the atmosphere and everything that you can sometimes build up in your own mind before the first tee shot, but that might have helped keep me fairly calm. And I just kind of thought today, just go and play a round of golf.

I've been playing a fair few rounds at home. I know it's not with a scorecard, really, in the hand, but I've been playing okay there. I felt like the game was in pretty good shape and I've done the work I needed to do to be sharp enough.

So it was nice to put 68 around there this afternoon. I would have taken that if you had told me that beforehand.

JOHN DEVER: Adam, glad to have you back. Thanks for stopping by. Good luck tomorrow.