PALMETTO CHAMPIONSHIP AT CONGAREE

June 12, 2021

Chesson Hadley

Congaree Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Talk about these last two hours. Obviously hitting your tee shot on 18, leading the tournament by four. You have to come in to player dining and sit and wait now you head home.

CHESSON HADLEY: Yeah, we were, it was starting to get a little bit kind of fuzzy when D.J. and I were on 16 tee and we got through 16 and 17, once we got to 18 we kind of felt like we were, it was getting, we could you could feel the wind pick up, the temperature change. So it was getting close, but still thought we would finish. But they called it. I'm from the south so when it starts it doesn't stop kind of until everything starts to cool off a little bit.

So we have just been hanging tight and eating, cutting up, just being stupid men here in the player dining.

Q. Take me back to earlier today, the bogey on 1. Something like that, in a situation like that, you're playing with the No. 1 ranked player in the world, you're up a couple and does that kind of resettle you back in?

CHESSON HADLEY: Yeah, I was really uncomfortable to start, absolutely. I was nervous, I was anxious and it has been a long time since I've been in a position like this. I have been in a position like that before, but you just kind of forget. And so I was really uncomfortable and I didn't hit a good first tee shot and I was lucky to be able to pitch out and just made my bogey and was still kind of -- I started to feel better on hole 4.

And then I made a really, really nice putt on 6 for par and I was kind of, I kind of felt really good after that.

So I started to string some nice holes together and just, it was, you know, it was hard, it's hard out there, it's firm and fast and this course has held its own. I was able to make a few birdies there towards the end.

Q. Take me through the birdies on the back nine. That was quite a run you had.

CHESSON HADLEY: Yeah, just, I made a really, really nice 2-putt on 11.

And then I hit a good bunker shot on 12 and finally got a respectable look, to be honest with you. That was probably my first birdie putt inside 20 feet and I just, I hit a great putt, had a good read on it.

And then I just kind of was -- I hit a great drive on 13 and made a nice birdie there.

And then the bonus on 14 making a putt from the middle of the green.

So that was great and we're going to start tomorrow, I think I've got probably a 9-iron or a wedge tomorrow morning when we start and hopefully I can hit one in there stiff and get one more.

Q. What would be the game plan tomorrow? As is, you're probably going to resume play at 7:30 a.m. and then likely not tee off until 1:50 p.m. How do you handle that?

CHESSON HADLEY: Yeah, that will be interesting. I'm not sure what I'll do. I'm staying in Palmetto Bluff this weekend, so maybe I'll just -- obviously I'll be here, I'll try and get here probably, probably get here 6:45. I won't eat before, I'll just hit a few shots, get loose, get in position and go. And then I'll come in and eat. And then I don't know if I'll go all the way back down or not. Maybe I can just hang out in, if there's like kind of a common area of the clubhouse that I can hang out in.

But, I mean, if I tee off at 2 o'clock, I might just head back to Palmetto Bluff.

Q. Looks like Harris English has about 8 feet, 10 feet for birdie on 18. Good chance you'll be playing with him tomorrow. Is that the pairing you look forward to?

CHESSON HADLEY: It would be. Harris is, I mean, I've known Harris for, gosh, probably 15 years now. He's just kind of a cool customer and he would be somebody really comfortable to play with. That was one of the reasons why I was really uncomfortable today playing with D.J., I've only played with him once and he's the best in the world and I never played with a world No. 1, so that was really cool getting to watch from him and learn from him.

But I would love to play with Harris tomorrow. He's a great egg, would love to get a chance to take a walk with him.