THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 10, 2021

Cameron Percy

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. So a year since the TOUR was forced to shut down. What's been the emotional and physical journey that you've gone on in the past 12 months?

CAMERON PERCY: To start with, it was just hanging at home with the family, and then not thinking we're going to play, then we did play. Once we started playing, it's been really hectic. I can't believe it's been a year already.

I actually got COVID in December, which sucked, and I'm still struggling with that. That was in December, so that's what, nearly three, four months now.

Q. What all did you go through when you have COVID?

CAMERON PERCY: The symptoms weren't that bad, it was after. I just lost all my strength, and fatigue and stuff like that.

Q. Has it been difficult to get that back on the golf course?

CAMERON PERCY: I've lost a lot of distance and stuff.

Q. What's your game plan to fight that on a course like this?

CAMERON PERCY: I'm just asking a lot of doping questions, what can I take and stuff like that. There's some other people that have experienced the same thing, so just try and get over it.

Q. Given your veteran status was qualifying for this event at your age, what does this mean to you?

CAMERON PERCY: When you write down your goals when you're younger than this, you think, yeah, I'll be there, but it took a long time. I didn't know I was in the field until Friday night. I knew I was in, but I wasn't guaranteed I was in, so it was sort of like, oh, we'll see, we'll see. As long as a non-exempt player didn't win last week, I was in.

Q. What are the issues for you playing at 46 as opposed to 26? You mentioned the strength and the distance. Do you feel like despite all that that you're getting better or are you figuring it all out?

CAMERON PERCY: Yeah, I think my advantage now is I don't have the ability to hit a shot -- like I'll hit a 3-wood 260, I could have hit 280. It goes 260, 260, 260. All my irons just go one distance. I'm very good with my irons just because I don't hit it, like a 7-iron, 185, then 160, and there it is.

Q. Do you feel more equipped to make the most of the opportunity this week just knowing where you are and the state of your game?

CAMERON PERCY: Yeah, I'm playing pretty good right now. I'm driving it straight, which helps. I was able to drive it pretty straight this week. With the wind getting up, it's going to be pretty important.

Q. Have you seen any of the other Australians around the course this week, and is the connection amongst the Aussies a bit stronger at an event like this?

CAMERON PERCY: Yeah, a lot of the guys, they know it's my first time, so everyone has been coming up congratulating me. It's pretty cool. It's like, is this really your first time? I'm like, yeah. They're like, wow.

Q. Like who all has come up to you?

CAMERON PERCY: Like Leish. I was hitting balls with Leish and he was chatting to me, and he goes, is this your first time? I'm like, yeah, it is, and he's like, that's awesome.

Q. What is it with all the Aussie Cams? Did these other young guys just follow your lead? Are you the trendsetter in that regard?

CAMERON PERCY: I think so. I think so. Just a respect thing, respect your elders and stuff, so that's where that comes from.

Q. Did you ever think this sort of chance to play in a tournament like this had ever passed you by and maybe it was behind you?

CAMERON PERCY: Probably, yeah. I'm playing good this year, so I was thinking, all right, keep this up, maybe next year I'll get to play it. Yeah, just with a few injuries here and there and age, I'm like, well, maybe that's one event I'm not going to play. I never played the Arnold Palmer last week, as well. I got to play that for the first time, so that was pretty cool.

Q. You're finally experiencing all these things at 46 that you've been waiting so long to do. Is it all it's led up to be so far?

CAMERON PERCY: Yeah, last week was really cool. It was very hard. I didn't realize how hard the course was. And then this week is cool because it's just -- we've got the fans back this week. Last week was good, too, but there were more drunks there last week, but this week it feels like there's more golf fans here if that makes sense, so it's going to be cool to play in front of them.

Q. What percentage of your potential do you think the golf world has seen of you?

CAMERON PERCY: I mean, probably 10 years ago when I first got on TOUR, that's when I was playing -- I didn't realize how good I was if that makes sense. I was playing unbelievable back then but just didn't realize it because I hadn't been exposed to the top. I just can't hit the ball like I -- I can't hit out of the rough anymore like I used to.

Q. Are you inspired by looking at the honor roll here, the champions, and seeing some of the slightly off-Broadway names as past champs?

CAMERON PERCY: Yeah, for sure. I think Jim Furyk has come second quite a few times here and K.J. Choi and this and that. Obviously distance doesn't mean a lot here. Obviously keeping the ball in play means a lot and hitting quality iron shots. That's my game. And the par-5s, I can reach all the par-5s, so there's no disadvantage there.