RBC HERITAGE

April 15, 2021

Stewart Cink

Harbour Town Golf Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Bogeyed the 1st hole, but after that, eagle, seven birdies. Just thoughts on how well this went today.

STEWART CINK: It really was a very smooth round once I got past the obstacle of the 1st hole. Reagan was just joking with me that the only shot I didn't consult with him on the whole day was the tee shot on 10, and I promptly cranked it straight into the lake.

It was probably one of the worst opening drives I ever hit in my life. You'd think that's a bad way to start, but in a way it's a wake-up call. After playing in the Masters and being super focused and intense, to come here and be lazy on the first shot was kind of like a slap in the face and it got my attention.

And so we were really good and clean the rest of the way, and no more mistakes. Just I really played very, very well the rest of the way.

Q. The numbers say you gained three shots on the field, strokes gained approaching the greens. I saw the last two iron shots. You were all over the flag today.

STEWART CINK: Yeah, sometimes the strokes gained are a little bit misleading. I definitely felt like I had the control of the ball with the iron shots, and really driving, too, notwithstanding that first shot.

But it was a good tee-to-green day. Made some putts that -- you know, nothing just outstanding, long putts or anything, but really the putts I had a good chance to make I was very calm on and rolled some in.

This was a really tidy round.

Q. You won here twice. First time was 2000. Jeez, 21 years ago. How are you different? How is the course different?

STEWART CINK: The course hasn't really changed that much. It's been through a couple renovations, added a few tees here and there. It's the same course for the most part. There is very little difference out there. It's just a great course. The kind of course that stays the test of time because it's not -- it has some innate defense against distance out there.

It's hard to say what that is, but we're all hitting the ball a lot farther than we used to, but this course plays about the same. It's a fun course to play. It's quite different.

And as far as the way I'm different, I don't know. I mean, shoot, I'm different every day. Ask me again tomorrow and I'll have a different answer.

I feel like I've just learned a lot, got a lot of the experience. Right now Reagan and I have a good game plan, good little system we're using that's been paying off pretty well. It's keeping me calm, which is a big part of playing good golf.

Q. How different is it than other places?

STEWART CINK: Yeah, I feel so relaxed here. I think it's the vibe. Is it the week after the Masters vibe or is it the Hilton Head Island vibe? Maybe a little bit both. Coming after the grindhouse that Augusta National can be -- especially this year, conditions were pretty tough -- it's nice to come here and relax a little bit, exhale.

And so, yeah, there is a little bit of both. But I think the post-Masters is a big part of it.

Q. That first tee shot, is that unlike you not to consult with him or what happened? Was it early in the morning or...

STEWART CINK: You know, I think part of the first tee shot, it was not really the consulting. It was more just I was just so relaxed and lackadaisical on the shot that I just kind of didn't really go through my normal preparation on the shot, like picking a target and reminding myself about those external cues and the swing and what to do.

Just completely went to sleep at the wheel. Sometimes that can really rattle you of off the 1st hole when you start a tournament off that like. This ball was 25 yards out in the lake on 10. It was horrible. I had to hit lumber in on my third shot.

In this case, you know, right off the tee Reagan reminded me, Hey, learn from this. You just were a little bit lazy. You didn't call out your target like you normally do, and just learn from it.

And right then. It just turned around and it became All right, let's use that to be motivated, to be better, and the rest of the day was one of my best days I can remember.

Q. You said that you'd forgotten most of what happened in your wins, still, when you come here, are there good feelings every time you walk around just because of your history here?

STEWART CINK: Yeah, and it's hard to say which one came first. I had the good feels before I won this tournament, too. Although I did win in my first try. (Laughter.)

For the first four or five days before I won I had great feelings, too. So part of it is the feelings. I feel really comfortable here with how far the ball goes.

It's a little bit odd here. The ball -- you don't get the full distance. You have to make adjustments, playing for some change and your yardages, and that's something we adjust to pretty well.

Reagan is doing a great job here already. Doesn't take long but you have to pay attention to it.

So I'm comfortable with that kind of stuff here, wind direction, some the trees, the corridors where the wind funnels and sometimes blows across the top. You get used to what southwest wind does here or northeast wind on all these holes.

That's a part of it. That's kind of the operation side of things. It's just a great place to come and visit. Beautiful place. If you just take away those no-see-ums, be heaven.

Q. Is it just a sign of the times when you go on the range and see that the net wasn't big enough and they had to add another net up there?

STEWART CINK: I guess so. I mean, you can't make this range much bigger, so the only thing you can do is go up. I notice they put another net on top.

But then when Bryson -- no one else is going to go over the top of that one, but he still might have gone over it.

Q. Are you a greens book guy? Did you use them? Do you have a feeling one way or the other if they should or shouldn't be allowed?

STEWART CINK: I don't have a strong feeling whether they should or should've be allowed. If you put me a corner I would probably say they shouldn't be allowed. I think they're very informative. I use one, although I don't rely on it that much. I use it as a last-minute check or if we're undecided about something.

But Reagan keeps one and I looked at it probably 12 holes out of 18 today. So we look at it, but I don't have a strong feeling on whether they should be addressed again or not. They just addressed that, what, two years ago?

What they came out with was the same greens book only a little bit smaller.

Q. Does a 63 kind of change your perspective, game plan, anything going forward?

STEWART CINK: No. A round like today solidifies the game plan. A round like this doesn't show you there is more out there. A round like this shows you what you're doing is already dead on, and why change anything?

Q. That must be fun at a place you've won twice.

STEWART CINK: Yeah, I mean, today was really a very smooth round once I got past that first hurdle on the first tee. It was a very smooth round. It was fun being with Reagan out there and the guys we played with are great anyway.

I wish more days on the PGA TOUR were like today. Unfortunately, also quite a few 74s out there at times. Today was great. I loved it. Going to have a good time this afternoon and come back at it fighting tomorrow.