WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN

February 4, 2021

Nate Lashley

TPC Scottsdale

Quick Quotes

Q. Really good day for you, 11 of 14 fairways, 15 of 18 greens, 27 putts, 82 feet of putts. That was a good day.

NATE LASHLEY: Yeah, it was a solid day. Like you said, hit some fairways, hit some nice shots on the greens and then made the putts that I needed to.

Q. Those two birdies at the end on 8 and 9 were big, and they were dead center. What have you been working on in the putting because obviously it all came together there at the end of the day.

NATE LASHLEY: Well, to be honest with you, with putting, you never know. Some weeks it feels great and some weeks it feels like you can't make a putt. First couple weeks this year, it started out I couldn't make a putt. I kept working on it, kept practicing. I knew getting back to the basic stuff that I've always worked on, and hit solid putts this week, and it's nice to see them go in.

Q. You live here in Scottsdale, you're a University of Arizona guy. This has got to be a meaningful event for you.

NATE LASHLEY: Yeah, you know, it's nice being able to stay at home and play a course that you're used to playing. But yeah, being from here now, pretty much consider myself an Arizona resident, even though I grew up in Nebraska. But it is, it's nice to play well in front of some friends and family that are around. Hopefully I can just keep it going for the next three days.

Q. You hear people say, hey, Florida golf, California golf; what's the key to playing Arizona golf?

NATE LASHLEY: Well, I think, like you said earlier, I think it's similar anywhere. Out here if you hit fairways you're going to have chances for birdie most of the time. You're going to hit greens. That's a big key, getting it in the fairway, and then obviously making putts. It doesn't matter how great you hit it; if you don't make the putts, it doesn't do much for you.

Q. Where do you play mostly out here in Scottsdale?

NATE LASHLEY: Yeah, I practice out here out at TPC a lot, play a little bit, and then I also am a member at Whisper Rock.

Q. I hear that's a pretty good place.

NATE LASHLEY: Yeah, it's all right.

Q. Impressions of the round and what you liked out there today?

NATE LASHLEY: I mean, like I said, we were talking earlier, I hit a lot of fairways. The fairways that I did miss were just off the fairway but still had shots to the green. Was never really in any trouble, so drove it nice, hit some good iron shots and made the putts I needed to. Got a couple nice breaks, missing the bunker on 8, ended up making birdie. A couple balls that I hit into greens that stayed on the greens that were real close to running off. Today was a nice day but also I got a couple nice breaks. It was overall a really good day.

Q. What was the difference today versus your first two events of the calendar year?

NATE LASHLEY: I've been working with a new instructor and we've been working on some things, and it's just taken a little time. It still feels -- it's starting to feel better every day, but it still feels just a little bit foreign still. But obviously today hit it much better than I had in my previous two starts this year and then also made some putts. I couldn't get a putt to go in the first two events, and it just kind of snowballed from there and had some really bad scores.

Q. You had a high finish here last year. How much does previous experience mean playing on a course like this?

NATE LASHLEY: Yeah, I mean, it definitely gives you some confidence. You know, I've played the course a lot, so you feel comfortable out there. I feel comfortable on the tee shots. The course is in great shape. The greens are amazing right now. They are rolling as good as any green on the PGA TOUR. If you get it up there and feel like you hit a good putt, most of the time it goes in. It's a good feeling being out there and I get to stay at home this week, too, so it's a lot of positives.

Q. How much of a difference was it with the crowds today versus what you've seen in the past?

NATE LASHLEY: Yeah, I mean, it felt like there was nobody out there today on 16. It's a little disappointing. It's nice to see the crowds out here. Hopefully the fans will be back soon.

You know, it's just the way it is, and like I said, hopefully we can get back to normal soon.