U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2021

June 19, 2021

Ian Poulter

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Quick Quotes

Q. Ian, third round of the U.S. Open. How did the course play today versus the two previous rounds?

IAN POULTER: We got mild wind, so because of that and a little bit of overcast today, the greens are drying out, but there's still opportunities on this golf course. If you put it in play, you're going to have a few looks to make birdie. The par-5s, obviously, can be gettable, and you just need to play smart golf. There's a number of very tricky holes, a couple of very tight pin locations you need to be sensible on.

But I felt, obviously, with a birdie-birdie start, there was a score out there. I made a few mistakes and gave a couple back to the field where I really should have taken advantage, but any time you can put yourself kind of in that position, 3-under par is a good score. It's always going to be a good score at the U.S. Open, and I've kind of put myself back in there.

Q. Overall thoughts of Torrey Pines as a U.S. Open venue?

IAN POULTER: Hated it in '08. I think I played nine holes of round 2 and limped out of it with a wrist injury. U.S. Open golf is always frustrating. You know it right from the outset, but they've done a really good job this week. I think the rough has been tough but fair in places. I think around the greens it's been very, very juicy and very hard to predict lies. I think from kind of the fairway positions, they've given you a couple of opportunities.

Credit to those guys. I like what they're doing. I like the trend they're on, and hopefully we can make it a little more enjoyable at times.

Q. Six birdies today. Any change in the game plan for tomorrow?

IAN POULTER: No, just be aggressive. Just keep doing what I'm doing, smart golf. Just keep big numbers off the card, and I think, if you do that, you can obviously have a run at a few birdies.