KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 29, 2021

Tim Petrovic

Quick Quotes

Southern Hills Country Club

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the 2021 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. We're here at Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Oklahoma. We're joined by Tim Petrovic who just posted a 2-under par 68 in his third round. Really stellar play on what we're coming to understand is a really tough golf course today. You played well, and how are you feeling.

TIM PETROVIC: I feel great. I hit it really good yesterday and didn't have a lot to show for it. I'm hitting a lot of good putts, had a couple spin out of the hole today also, but overall playing pretty well, pretty solid. But the course is playing tough. They were a little mean to us with a couple of those pins out there, but we had a couple head scratchers yesterday and today, but it's a major, it should be tough.

Q. I'm looking at your scores here you've gone 72, 69, 68. You've improved each day. What can you attribute to that?

TIM PETROVIC: Well that's the goal. When I wake up in the morning I want to get a little better every day. So if that happens I'll be in great shape with three or four holes to go tomorrow. Yeah, it's always a little thing here and there and the first day I was just a little bit off and just didn't really make any putts. I think I made one birdie and it was a 2-putt from like four feet because I missed my eagle putt. But, yeah, so it was one of those days. But just trying to get a little better every day and just hit greens, get the putter in my hand and see if we can make some birdies.

Q. What do you think is the toughest part of this golf course, especially with this northeast wind that we have going right now?

TIM PETROVIC: I think the grass, the Bermuda grass in the fairways is a little hard to judge, especially around the greens. It's really grainy. Especially chipping around the greens, you really got to pay attention because you really, if you're more than two yards off the green you really can't putt it. It's just that grainy. So you got to -- it's just something you got to make a decision and if you're going to try to pop it on to the green or but I think that's the hardest part. The bunkers are tough because they're a little grainy and it's really hard to spin the ball out of the bunkers. They are fair though, it's really hard to -- you really can't bury one in the face of the bunker, so the ball kind of roles down to the center. But being the sand is grainy as it is, it's hard to spin it. So you got those two factors working against you, if you miss a green. Then if you're on the green I don't think there's a flat spot out here, so you really got to pay attention. They kept, they're keeping the green speeds down a little bit, which is good, I thought they were a little slow the first two days but I think they're picking it up as the days go on.

Q. You're fourth in driving distance and fourth in greens in regulation. Do you think that your distance off the tee helped you to those tougher pins today?

TIM PETROVIC: Only if you're straight. The ones I hit long were nice and straight, obviously, but I'm hitting a lot of 8- and 9-irons in here where guys are hitting 5-, 6-irons. So that helps for sure. But they are trying -- they are trying to hide the pins and it is a big advantage if you're hitting an eight or 9-iron in to some of these pins for sure. If you're hitting a mid iron in, if you get it within 30 feet it's a really good shot. But, yeah, if I keep that up tomorrow and the numbers don't lie, if I'm hitting it long, hitting fairways and hitting greens I'm going to make some birdies.

Q. You played the toughest holes 1, 2, 16 and 18 at 1-under today. How important is it to get through those holes?

TIM PETROVIC: 16's tough. You just got to square up and hit a long one up on top of the hill. I think I hit a little 7-iron in there.

And then they had the tee up again on 17 but that's no picnic either. You get it over there to the left -- I hit a really good pitch shot there and I just missed about a 5-footer. But, yeah, the finishing holes are great, anything can happen.

Even 15. 15 you got to pay attention too. I think I hit an iron off that tee too, just to get it in play.

THE MODERATOR: You made a good run at this championship in 2018. Is that part of your thoughts here, like let's get that one back or is that a non-factor?

TIM PETROVIC: No, I think 2018 seems like an eternity, seems like 10 years ago now after the COVID year. No, it's not about -- I played well there, I didn't lose it there, Paul won it. He just got a hot putter on Sunday and that's what happens. But, no, no regrets there, not trying to get anything back but just trying to get in position again and if you keep doing the little things maybe big things will happen. So that's what I'm doing.