U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2021

June 18, 2021

Russell Henley

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Russell Henley, 1-under 70. Russell, two rounds under par at a U.S. Open, tied for the lead. Your thoughts heading into the weekend.

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, I feel good about my game. I've never been in this position before in a major. Just feel like I'm going to learn something no matter what happens.

Q. And how did the course play today compared to yesterday?

RUSSELL HENLEY: I found it a little bit tougher to get under the hole and get some good birdie looks. Still very fair, but just a little tougher to get some putts where you feel like you're not playing defense. So I was really happy with my round.

Q. After you talked about yesterday having to learn how to contend in majors, what do you think you've learned that's helped you this week?

RUSSELL HENLEY: I feel like I've learned who I am as a player and what works for me. That's kind of what I've learned over the last year. Anywhere from how I practice and what I think and what works for me in the gym, you know, all of the above. So much goes into it behind the scenes, and just being comfortable with who I am as a player and not trying to be somebody else.

Q. And because this is kind of a familiar setup, would you say this is intimidating, like maybe another U.S. Open venue would be?

RUSSELL HENLEY: Intimidating? I don't know. I've never played this well in a U.S. Open. So I don't know -- I don't really have a good memory of what the last few have been like besides maybe Shinnecock, and that was just so hard on Saturday last time I played one.

It feels very fair out there. It feels like you just have to put the ball on the correct side of the hole. So far it's been really fair. It's just been really difficult.

Q. Russell, yesterday you said that you feel like you're a top-50 player in the world now. When did you start to feel that confidence in yourself?

RUSSELL HENLEY: What I meant was over the last year, like say I had this last year of golf I had and then I did that again, I think I'd be in the top 50. I was, I think, 290th in the world, and I've gotten all the way down to 52 this year. That would tell me, if I did another one of those years - because it's a two-year deal - I would be in the top 50.

I just feel like the type of golf I've been playing is really good and really consistent. I think that's what you have to do to be in the top 50. I feel like every part of my game, I feel pretty good about most days, and I'm just trying to keep doing it.

Q. You know anything about Richard Bland?

RUSSELL HENLEY: I know he won earlier this year. It might have been his first win on the European Tour. Other than that, I don't. I'm sure he knows nothing about me too.