PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 22, 2021

Charley Hoffman

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island

Quick Quotes

JOHN DEVER: We are joined by Charley Hoffman, who posted a third-round 73, 1-over par. He's even par for the tournament.

Charley, pretty good round, lots of up-and-downs, but you're in good position. Those last two holes are pretty dang tough, aren't they.

CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Yes, I put myself in position, didn't make -- putted horrible today. Didn't make anything. But anyways, 1-over is a little disappointing. Phil is playing pretty good. Would have been nice to get a couple pars or a birdie coming in.

Finished off with the ability to catch somebody tomorrow, but unfortunately my finish just took me out of the tournament.

Q. How crazy were the ups and downs of that round, especially on your first nine?

CHARLEY HOFFMAN: No, I actually played great. I three-putted a couple times which cost me, and then I hit a ball in the bunker and then hit another ball in the bunker, but the double was just out of position.

But you three-putt a couple times out here, you're giving too many shots away. I mean, I think I had three or four 3-putts today and just one of those rounds tee-to-green I was actually pretty good. Hit a bunch of shots close and didn't make anything and the only ones I really made today were kick-in.

So pretty -- pretty down in the dumps right this second, but obviously got tomorrow. I can go out and if I hit the way did I today and make a few putts, who knows what happens.

Q. Is there some confidence to be mined out of this? You were flirting with your top finish in a major around eight, and the PGA you've been in the top 40 once, missed some cuts but you were well-positioned for a lot of the day.

CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Like I said, I played fine. I just didn't make any putts. The speed -- I don't know if the greens were inconsistent speed-wise. I struggled with speed today from long range, short range. I just never had a read on it. Was sort of guessing, and when you're guessing out there, wasn't full of confidence with the putter like I was yesterday.

Long story short, I'm going to work on it the next couple hours and I've got to get my confidence back and trust what I'm going for with my speed because my speed was off.

Q. You've played with Phil a lot. He's had some recent trouble the last couple holes, but what he did early today, how impressive is that at age 50 in a major?

CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Well, age is just a number. Phil works harder than anybody. I know second to none, he plays more holes than anybody. He practices harder than anybody.

So playing good golf, it wasn't a doubt that he would be playing good golf eventually. He's a tinkerer. He likes trying new things. He likes trying to keep up with the young guys, hit it further, but this week -- I haven't watched a ton of golf but I assume he's hitting the fairways and keeping the ball in front of him and not really doing his -- bombing it out there.

Phil is a great player. He obviously hasn't had the results on Tour this year that he has hoped, I would assume, but you know what, Phil is one of the best players to ever play the game. It doesn't surprise me that he can go out and light up this golf course.

Q. He birdied five of the first ten today, which is pretty phenomenal, given the length and wind and every challenge on this particular course. How do you see he's able to do what he's doing today?

CHARLEY HOFFMAN: He's a champion. He's a Major Champion. Like I said, he's one of the greatest to play. When he gets in contention, he usually holds on, and obviously I don't know what he's doing coming down the stretch but I saw him get to 10-under par, which is great playing.

This golf course, you can make birdies on it if you're in position in the fairways, but if you get out of position, that's when you need to go and hopefully make a bogey on that hole.

I obviously didn't see anything trending in his game, but you know what, like I said, Phil is a world-class player and he knows what it takes to win major championships and it doesn't surprise me one bit.