PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 6, 2020

Brendon Todd

Harding Park Golf Club

Flash Quotes

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon, welcome back to the 2020 PGA Championship here at TPC Harding Park. Glad to be joined by Brendon Todd who began his championship today with a 5-under 65, tied for the lead at the present time.

Terrific round, really solid back nine. Played well on the front but really took it to a new level on the back, didn't you.

BRENDON TODD: I did. The front nine, I think has more birdie chances, and I drove it really well on that nine. I was struggling off the tee the first nine, so I felt like I did a great job just scraping it around and giving myself a chance to shoot a good nine coming in.

Q. Looking at the board, and they are all morning rounds. How great a round was that?

BRENDON TODD: It was really good. You know, I don't really compare rounds, but it was one of my better rounds today.

Q. And what does it say about you bouncing back, didn't your best day on Sunday, and you get out in the mix and play really well.

BRENDON TODD: Just shows I have a lot of confident, I'm playing the game of golf really well, not a lot of golf swing going on. That's the key for me.

Q. Along those lines, how long did it take for you to get over that on Sunday, or did you get on the flight and you were done with, it moving on?

BRENDON TODD: Once I landed here, I felt like I was very over it. So Monday afternoon.

Q. Does it make it any easier at all that you have had the season you've had with two victories and everything you've accomplished?

BRENDON TODD: It sure does, and I did it in Hartford, too. It's just another step in the road, and I've obviously got to play better on Sundays. My scoring average in 2020 has not been good but it just something to work on.

JOHN DEVER: It's been five years since you've been in this championship. Is there any extra satisfaction to kind of get to where you did -- to what you did today to do that in your first trip back in a number of years?

BRENDON TODD: Yeah, I would say that's very satisfying to be in my first major in five years and play well and be comfortable in the moment and the situation. I'm just going to try and try to take this momentum into the rest of the week and have some fun.

Q. All week players have talked about the premium on driving. You drive the ball so well; do you look at this place as a place you can really take some opportunities and capitalize?

BRENDON TODD: I would. I would say after the practice round, I wasn't so sure because I hit 4-woods into holes in regulation, but seeing the fairways firm up a little bit, and seeing how the ball is rolling out in the fairways, I feel like when I do hit the fairway, I'm going to have a realistic chance to hit the ball in a good positive on the greens. The greens are rolling really awesome. The staff here at Harding Park has done a good job providing a smooth surface for us. They have the right bounce to them, they are the right speed and I think that bodes well for good scores.

JOHN DEVER: You may have had some smooth surfaces but you've putted well on those smooth surfaces. Talk about your putting.

BRENDON TODD: It was lights-out today. I couldn't have putted any better, there's no doubt, and I did this last week. The first round, I had a lights-out day putting, and you know, again, I've always watched guys shoot those low opening rounds and it's really just the guys who are confident. Week-in, week-out, their games are rolling. It's nice to be able to do that.

Q. It's one shot and it's a long week, but making that putt at the last, how big a list is that?

BRENDON TODD: I think it really helps me going into tomorrow. It allows me to spend the next 12 hours before my second round feeling really good, like I've got momentum still. So I would say it's really just, for this moment, it means a lot but after that, it's just going to be another, you know, another score at the end of the week.

Q. There's been a lot of talk on Twitter that you should be Comeback Player of the Year, which doesn't exist anymore. Is there a part of you that wished that award still exists, because you would be a lock.

BRENDON TODD: I was actually wondering if that award did. I feel like Steve Stricker is the only human that's ever won it, because everybody talks about how he's won it twice or something. I'm like, well, I don't know anybody else who has won that award, so maybe it's just the Steve Stricker Award.

Q. Given the conversation, and I think I asked you this last week, but not to get ahead of yourself, does Player of the Year enter your thought process, considering where you are as far as the season goes?

BRENDON TODD: I guess it's a possibility, but I've got a lot of great golf to play ahead of me in order to do that. I think Justin has had an outstanding year and Webb has had a great year, as well. Those two guys are probably the at top of the list. But we've got a major here and a FedExCup to play.

JOHN DEVER: Brendon, best of luck into tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.