PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 20, 2021

Cameron Tringale

The Ocean Course at Kiawah

Flash Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Good morning. Welcome back to the 2021 PGA Championship. We're really pleased to be joined by Cameron Tringale, who opened today with a 2-under par 70.

Cameron, off in one of the early groups today. You started off really, really strong. Talk about your play right out of the chute and the nice groove you kind of caught there.

CAMERON TRINGALE: Sure. Good afternoon. It was nice going off early. I think the first couple holes weren't quite as extreme wind-wise and going whatever direction, out. I think we were a little fortunate. But really, the first four or five holes kept me in. It was good putting. I one-putted, I think, the first six or seven holes. So that's always good for momentum.

Yeah, it was a solid day all in all. Through the bag, everything was working pretty well. Happy with the day.

Q. Did you notice at what point the wind really was more reflective of what you saw during the practice rounds? Was it the 5th hole, the 7th hole?

CAMERON TRINGALE: Well, when it's at your back, you don't mind as much when it's howling. So I really didn't notice it until we turned there on 14 and we're hitting a shot into the wind. Those last five are pretty tough.

Q. You had a birdie on 11, and then you prepared yourself for the toughness?

CAMERON TRINGALE: Yeah, I was trying to just keep making birdies when we were downwind, knowing it would be tough coming in. But I didn't start preparing myself until I got to that hole. It's kind of in the back of your mind, but I did my best to try and focus on one hole at a time.

Q. So it's something that you suspected, but can you explain the difference between the back and the front? I mean, today, knowing how it played.

CAMERON TRINGALE: Yeah, you're trying to hit it short going downwind because you can almost run through on so many of the lines, and coming into the greens, the ball is taking pretty big hops downwind. You have to be a little defensive, even going downwind.

And then when we turned in, I hit a 4-iron, 3-wood, 7-iron, and two 3-irons into the greens those last five. So it's just a totally different golf shot, trying to keep the ball down, keep it out of the wind as much as you can, and just trying to use it to your advantage.

Q. Cameron, you played that last five pretty cleanly. What is the goal as you get to the 14th tee? Is 1 over pretty acceptable given what you're hitting for clubs out there?

CAMERON TRINGALE: Yeah, I don't really put a number on it. It just kind of depends. If you're hitting good shots, it's just about hitting those quality shots. I think, if the average score is going to be well over that on those last five. Yeah, I guess, if we're playing the numbers, I'd take that.

Q. I don't know if you were looking at the leaderboard at some point and how many times you have led in a Major.

CAMERON TRINGALE: I led at Augusta once early, like through two holes. Yeah, it doesn't make any difference where you're at right now. As long as you're on the board, you're in good enough shape. I'm aware of it, but it's not a factor in my mind at this point.

Q. Are you content with the 70 today?

CAMERON TRINGALE: I think anything under par is a really good score, and I think that's going to become even more true the later in the day that you play.