TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 27, 2021

Harris English

TPC River Highlands

Press Conference

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MARK WILLIAMS: We'd like to welcome our 2021 Travelers Championship winner, Harris English. Thank you for joining us after an eight-hole playoff. A little later than we usually are, but obviously you've come out on top.

Can you just talk about what you were experiencing during that playoff? It's obviously a very long playoff. You looked so calm on the outside. What were your emotions?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, I mean, I knew I had to stay in it. I was tired. Back was getting sore a little bit. But I knew anything could happen. You've just got to grind out there.

I mean, 17 and 18, both downwind holes, both pretty difficult pins to get close to, and Kramer and I made some great putts. Hats off to him for a good fight. We were both fighting. It seemed like every hole we played one guy had the advantage and the other one ended up making a six- or seven-footer to keep it going.

It was a good fight, and came down to somebody making birdie finally.

We were both joking, like somebody has got to make a birdie at some point, and I had had that putt a few times, the last probably hour and a half, and finally got it right and hit a good putt.

MARK WILLIAMS: This is your fourth PGA TOUR victory, your second this season, second in a playoff, as well. You join four other multiple winners this season, and you move to No. 2 on the FedExCup.

This is the first time you've had multiple wins in a season in your career. What is it feeling like for you as we get into the latter half of the season and the Playoffs?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, number one, my goal is to make it every year to the TOUR Championship at East Lake. I think I've finally locked that in right now, and I'm excited about that.

We've got a lot of big tournaments coming up. I feel like I'm excited about where my game is just coming off a three-week stretch. Really contended at every single tournament this last three weeks.

Was bummed how I finished at Palmetto. I feel like I was in a really good spot and just didn't hit the shots coming down the stretch and missed some putts. Kind of hurt a little bit, but I came back and finished well at the U.S. Open last week and came into this week came with a lot of confidence, and even put in a little extra work on my putting this morning knowing how crucial those five-, six-, seven-footers are out here.

Put in the extra time and felt really good all day about my putting, and holed some good putts. And even in the playoff had some knee-knockers out there and holed some great putts, and then finally the last one that went in was awesome.

Q. How did you stay mentally locked in when it just kept dragging on like that?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, it was tough. It was tough. I mean, my hamstrings were getting tired, my back was getting tired. I know Kramer was probably feeling the same thing. You've got to lock in and make every shot the most important.

It's hard. It's hard to stay mentally into it and not to lose focus, but I tried really hard to stay focused and stay sharp and really be on my toes, because in a playoff situation in match play scenarios like that, you got ready for anything. I expected Kramer to hole every single putt, and just trying to stay in it.

I felt like I fought pretty hard and had a couple chances to get it done, but finally after No. 8 we got it done.

Q. On the putting green during the ceremony you were talking about you've been coming here for a long time. What does this tournament mean to you, especially that you're a champion here?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, number one, it's a course that's so much fun to play. It's always in great shape. The fans out here are incredible, and the Travelers team takes great care of us. I love coming to Hartford, have loved playing in this tournament for a while, and I've really enjoyed this golf course.

I feel like it was one that I've had kind of mixed success here of if I was playing well, I had a couple top 10s, but if I wasn't, I was going to miss the cut.

Obviously had great confidence coming into this week and stayed around it and kept in it. But I love coming here, and I'll be coming here for years to come.

Q. I just wanted to ask you about going back and forth between holes 17 and 18; do you think maybe they should change the format and just stay on 18?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, I mean, it was kind of weird going all the way back to 17. I think 15 is one of the best short par-4s we have in golf, and it would be pretty cool to go 18 to 15, because if you hit a good shot you can make birdie or eagle, or if you hit it a little left you can make bogey really quickly.

I think that has the biggest discrepancy of any hole out here. I think it would be cool for them to add 15 in the rotation. Kind of do 15, 18, 15, 18.

But 18 is such a good finishing hole created by the amphitheater around the 18th green, and the fans stayed out there. They were in full force, and it was an awesome experience.

Q. How dark was it getting out there? How many more holes do you think you could have played?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, it was definitely getting dark when that last putt went in. I was kind of having a hard time getting my eyes adjusted to the green. We probably could have gone maybe one more, maybe two more max. It just gets tough to judge out there, judge distances, judge the greens.

I'm happy that I ended it on the eighth hole. It was definitely becoming a factor.

Q. You're predicted to move to No. 12 in the world. You're knocking on the Ryder Cup picture. How much is the Ryder Cup a goal for you, and do you feel like with two wins in the year now and up to No. 12 that you've kind of taken that next step in your career?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, I mean, I said earlier I think this is a validation win. It took me seven years to win this year in Maui, and I think this is a validation of where my game is right now.

The Ryder Cup is where I want to play. I love Steve Stricker. I know he's the captain this year. That's what I miss about playing golf at University of Georgia; I miss that team atmosphere, and that's the pinnacle of our sport is to represent your country and to play in probably one of the biggest tournaments in the world.

I still need to keep playing well and keep showing Strick that I deserve to be on the team, but looking forward to having a chance, and we'll see what happens.

Q. Typically when you play each week, you learn something about yourself or about your game. What did you learn last week at the U.S. Open?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, that I could play some good golf at the biggest stage. I love the U.S. Open setup. I love when it's difficult like that.

I can use a lot of that on days like today where it's tough, it's windy, you've got to grind out there. I feel like I'm a really good grinder on the golf course. I never really get out of it.

Had some really great up-and-downs today, made some great seven- or eight-foot par saves. It just shows the validation, all the work you put in, the work I put in back at Sea Island, and putting myself in those positions.

I love being in that spot. I love being in the hunt of a golf tournament, and to come down the stretch and actually pull it off is an unbelievable feeling.

MARK WILLIAMS: Congratulations, Harris.