PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 21, 2021

Paul Casey

The Ocean Course at Kiawah

Flash Quotes

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Paul Casey, who posted a second-round 1-under 71. He's 2-under for the championship. Pretty clean round again, and you've got quite a streak going. That's seven straight rounds under par in the PGA Championship. Are you finding a comfort zone in our championship?

PAUL CASEY: Clearly. Even I'm quite impressed with myself because this is one of the hardest golf courses on the planet. Extremely happy with 1-under today. I was happy with 1-under yesterday.

I mean, I played in 2003 in the World Cup and then I played in 2012, so I knew what to expect, but I didn't quite remember how difficult this place was and how demanding all the way through the round, every single shot you hit, you have to be focused and diligent and not take anything for granted. It's a piece of work.

But I quite enjoy it in a sick and twisted kind of way, so happy with it so far.

Q. What part of it do you enjoy? Obviously the results are solid, but what about the challenge? What facet of it gets your gears going?

PAUL CASEY: It's just -- I don't know, I like flat-out difficult.

I don't necessarily -- we get to play a lot of very difficult golf courses, but sometimes they can be difficult because of setup. This is a difficult golf course because of architecture, which are two very different things. It's actually been very well set up. It's very fair. The greens are -- I don't want to say they're firm, but they're receptive to well-struck shots. They're not particularly fast greens. Fairways are wide -- I mean, everything about it. It's just the architecture that makes this difficult, and that's probably what I enjoy the most.

I just tend to play well on difficult golf courses. I'd rather it wasn't a 30-under par kind of week, which obviously we're not going to get.

Q. Even par on 14 through 18; how would you describe that?

PAUL CASEY: Today?

Q. Yeah.

PAUL CASEY: Yeah, I didn't expect that, actually. Almost built into my mind that I'm going to give one or two up coming down those last few. Yeah, that's pretty strong.

But then again, as you know, sometimes the downwind holes can be more difficult because you can't stop it, and the into-the-wind holes you can use that element to hold the golf ball. If you're striking it well into the wind, quite often you end up hitting it, your proximity to the hole will be better if you're given the same kind of distance, even though it'll be five clubs different. But that's still strong.

17, thank goodness they moved the tee up because I played it a couple of times in practice from the back, back tee and haven't found the green yet. It's still a beast of a hole from that up tee that we're playing.

But no, I take a lot out of that, level par through the last four or five holes.

Q. You mentioned '12. I know today was difficult and everyone is saying the same thing, but you also played on that Friday in '12 and had a hard day. Can you compare that Friday to this Friday?

PAUL CASEY: I don't remember. Honestly, that was probably one of the lowest points of my career when I was struggling with my golf game. So I'm just happy I'm still competing and competing with the best.

I genuinely erased that week from my memory. I couldn't remember much about this golf course when I turned up. Pieces sort of started to come back to me the more I played it. But unfortunately that time in my career, I wasn't enjoying my golf and wasn't playing particularly well.

Q. When you look at the leaderboard, I don't know if you've had a chance to --

PAUL CASEY: This week or --

Q. Right now. When you look at that leaderboard, is there one name that surprises you?

PAUL CASEY: Louis Oosthuizen? No. Are you trying to get me to say Phil?

Q. Yeah, I am.

PAUL CASEY: Why does it surprise -- it doesn't surprise me.

Q. Why?

PAUL CASEY: I mean, Phil is one of the greatest short game magicians that's ever lived. You don't know what's going to -- recently he's maybe not had the control he's wanted with the longer stuff, but it doesn't surprise me. And to be honest, the creativity and challenge that this produces actually makes it more expected that he would be at the top of the leaderboard because you have to be so creative with your decisions and your shot-making choices. You have to be incredibly diligent with the decisions that you make and then how you piece that shot together, and knowing the way Phil operates, he's got a way of taking a yard off or putting a yard on or hitting -- he's got this ability that frankly one or two or three guys maybe I've ever seen have that ability. Phil stands out.

So no, it doesn't shock me at all. He's a great touch putter. No. Maybe just because he hasn't played the level of golf he's wanted to recently, you might say that, but I'm quite enjoying it. It doesn't surprise me, and I hope he goes all the way, and if he doesn't win, he's a threat all the way through because it's brilliant. It's great for the championship, and I love it.

Q. You mentioned two things. One is you were preparing yourself to shoot over par today, which looked like mentally worked for you, and that's something --

PAUL CASEY: Well, mentally for the last like four or five holes, hopefully not -- it's almost like you try to get 1- or 2- or 3-under -- holes like 10 can be a great opportunity. Let's be honest, from when you turn, so like 6 to 13, make hay, and then it's just like cling on if you can those last five holes. But I'm mentally preparing to be under par, but it's just you're going to get kicked the last five.

Q. That also connects to the masochistic what you like about this golf course. How much do you have to endure on this golf course?

PAUL CASEY: To be honest it's a little self-inflicted, isn't it, the pain? I don't know if it's pain, it's just a great challenge. That's what I'm calling it. Others might not use that phrase.

Look, it's why I think most of us play is to be challenged. We play to win. We want to win championships, major titles, trophies, big or small, and to play not only the greatest golf courses on the planet but the toughest golf courses on the planet. I've got many a mate who are great golfers when we play at our home club, but they couldn't break 100 around this golf course, and I'd almost kind of like to expose them to this.

So I take a lot of enjoyment out of it knowing this is one of those places you get to show how good you are.

Q. Do you enjoy it during the four and a half, five hours you're out there, or does the enjoyment come in finishing with a good score at the end and the feeling of accomplishment?

PAUL CASEY: It can be both. It can be both. Moments when you hit great shots in difficult settings. I was very happy with my shot on 17 just getting on the green. There you go. Good example.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for being with us, and you have a great evening.