SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 14, 2021

Chris Kirk

Waialae Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Can you take us through getting over 16 and having the finish that you had, what it takes to just put that behind you because a lot of our listeners would be ruined by that but you certainly were not.

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, took me a minute for sure. I was certainly a little bit ticked off. I hit my drive a touch left on 16 where I wanted it, but just trying to hit it over the corner there and it actually landed on the edge of the cart path and kicked about 20, 30 yards left to be out-of-bounds. It went right where I wanted it but one that definitely shouldn't have gone out-of-bounds.

Unfortunately that happens sometimes and probably let it fluster me a little bit more than it should have. You know, maybe could have saved a better score than a 7 to be sure.

But I made a nice putt for par on 17 and then I just love the 18th hole here, hitting that big, high draw around the corner and I was able to stuff one in there pretty close with an 8-iron, nice way to finish.

Q. And that finish puts you in a good position at 5-under par. Aside from one bad swing that was frustrating, a lot to like about your game today, wasn't there.

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, it was a really solid, complete round, apart from the one hole. But drove the ball great. Hit a lot of really nice iron shots and rolled it well, too. Very happy with how my game feels at the moment.

Q. Talk about the golf course and how firm it is right now. A lot of players have commented that it's fast and firm this year.

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, this is back to what I remember from my first number of years on TOUR. The last few years it's been a little bit soft but this is kind of how I remember it really playing and how I really enjoy playing this track for sure.

Q. Talk about the day as a whole including what happened on 16.

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, it was a fun day out there, my buddy, Michael, caddying for me this week. We had a good time and nice little stroll out there. Really drove the ball well and hit a lot of nice iron shots. Rolled the ball well on the greens. Good energy on my putts. It was a fun day.

And for sure frustrating on 16 to have that ball kick out-of-bounds like that. You know, wasn't exactly where I wanted. I pulled it a little left but definitely not a ball that should have gone out-of-bounds. I think it took me awhile to fly one into the edge of the cart path again. But stuff like that happens, and thankfully I was able to have that big finish on 18 to make lunch taste a little better.