PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 9, 2020

Paul Casey

Harding Park Golf Club

Flash Quotes

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon. Welcome back to the 2020 PGA Championship here at TPC Harding Park. Thrilled to be joined by Paul Casey, who finished with a 66 today, finishes 11-under par for the championship.

Paul, terrific, noble effort today. Great round of golf. Wasn't enough, unfortunately, for you. Kind of talk me through your round and what you saw as you went through what was a busy and action-packed day.

PAUL CASEY: Look, I played phenomenal golf and there's nothing I would change. I'm very, very happy with how I played. Great attitude. Stayed very calm and stayed in the present. Wasn't enough. The glorious shots Collin hit like on 16 to make eagle, you have to tip your cap. When he popped up on Tour not that long ago, those guys who were paying attention like myself knew that this was something special, and he's proved it today. He's already sort of proved it but he's really stamped his authority of how good he is today.

But I'm very, very happy with everything. Kind of got my mojo back now.

JOHN DEVER: Talk about middle of the back nine; you guys are two or three, four players, I think maybe got up to six --

PAUL CASEY: There were six at one time, yeah.

JOHN DEVER: You were peeking at the scoreboard, you're aware of that, and what's going through your mind as you navigate those last three or four holes?

PAUL CASEY: Like I say, I stayed very kind of present and didn't think about anything other than what I was trying to do. I looked, I glanced at the leaderboard on the 14th green, and I had that short, what is it, three-foot-ish birdie putt to get back to 10, and chuckled in the fact I was actually seventh.

Yeah, I mean, at that point, you're looking at going, okay, who is going to bust out of this, hoping it was me, because it felt like -- 10, clearly not going to do it. 11 wasn't going to do it. I had 12 in the back of my mind kind of all day and that wouldn't have been enough, either.

So yeah, I just -- it was -- I didn't get too wrapped up in how busy it was. Just trying to take care of business and keep it clean and give myself opportunities, which is what I did.

Q. You made that great birdie on 16. You were on the tee and you looked back at Collin's tee shot. You didn't look like you gave it much thought, but what was going on at that moment in your mind?

PAUL CASEY: Not a lot. It's my tee shot on the 17th which was bothering me more.

Brilliant shot. I mean, you know, and I love the fact we've got drivable par 4s. You know I'm a big fan of the shorter hole. I love the fact that we're given an opportunity, and then a guy like Collin steps up and shows you what's possible on a drivable par 4. Nothing I can do except tip my hat. It was a phenomenal shot.

Then, yeah, I wasn't too -- I knew he made the putt because we could hear the small -- the small roar, the small clap and cheer when he holed it in. I think I was on the 18th tee at the time. Yeah, I was very focused on myself, so other than acknowledging what a shot he hit, I was trying to take care of business.

Q. One more question about Collin. You said that those of you on the Tour who have been around saw something in him. What was it that you saw in him? What is it about his game or his demeanor that you knew instantly he was going to be good?

PAUL CASEY: Instant maturity was probably the one thing that stood out. I mean, you know, those -- you've heard him talk. Very mature in the words he chooses, the way he speaks, the way he plays golf.

Yeah, look, there's always a lot of -- there's always kind of a new wave. There's always a bunch of guys that rock up on the scene, and he didn't necessarily get the most publicity out of the group he was in, but you know, I can consider myself veteran; I've been around the block, so I know talent when I see it. Talent's -- you know something good. I don't like the term "talent" but you know when somebody is good, and Collin was good. We could just tell. Those of us who knew, knew that was the cat that we kind of -- he's the one. Even if the media weren't talking -- they were talking about him, but that's where we were focusing our attention, and we weren't wrong.

Q. You've had close calls in major championships before; and there's always the question did you win it, lose it, were you beaten. This time around, were you beaten?

PAUL CASEY: Yes.

Q. Does that make it easier?

PAUL CASEY: I had two bogeys and one double this week. There's not a lot else I would change, is there. Well, okay, one double (laughing).

I just shot 66, and Collin shot 64 (shrugging shoulders).

Q. I got the sense that you looked -- you felt more comfortable maybe than you've ever been in a major championship. Would you agree with that assessment?

PAUL CASEY: Yeah. Yeah. You know, and I -- why? Probably because I've spent -- three months, I didn't touch a golf club, hanging out with my kids, my family at home. Then I started practicing, but even those four-plus months I spent at home, I'm in -- a lot of thinking, a lot of, you know, figuring out what's important to me.

You know, when I'm out here, I think those of you who come out and talk to me a lot, you know this isn't the most important thing in my life. Yeah, today was just sort of cruise around the golf course and have a great time. I've not played great golf so far this season, so anything was going to be a bonus on where I was a week ago or two weeks ago. So I was just out there kind of having a good time.

But I do think I'm in a sweet spot. It's taken me 43 years to get there, but yeah, pretty chilled out, know what I'm capable of, and enjoying my golf.

JOHN DEVER: We've enjoyed having you in here and all your insights. You've been great fun to have and best of luck going forward, sir.