U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 8, 2021

Alex Cejka

Omaha Country Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Alex Cejka, good round today, a 3-under 67 to start things today. If you could just take us through your scorecard. Started on the 10th hole with a bogey, but then got it going with a few birdies through the back nine.

ALEX CEJKA: I knew it was going to be a really tough day, got to hit it in the fairways. I hit a good drive after the first hole, tweaked it a little bit left my second shot and got a terrible lie. I made a bogey. That wasn't the start I was hoping. I just said, keep hitting good shots, give yourself a couple of chances. It's going to be tough out there. I was literally going for pars, and birdie's a big bonus. This is how you've got to treat this week.

It's a really great golf course. It's in great shape, but it's really, really tricky. You can get some really bad lies. So I really was going middle of the green, take my 30, 40-footers, try to make two-putts and occasionally sneak in a birdie.

THE MODERATOR: It must have been nice to finish with a birdie as well on 9, your final hole of the day.

ALEX CEJKA: Those last few holes are a little bit difficult, especially the wind came up a little bit the last 40 minutes. Really hit a great 7-iron up there. I hit a tricky putt, but I made it. I would have been happy with 2-under. 3-under is better, though.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned that, when you won your first two majors of the season, your driving was really key. You drove the ball really well. As of late, maybe it hasn't been as well. Today what was the key for you to shoot that solid 67?

ALEX CEJKA: I drove it well too, but then I hit a couple of 3-woods off the tee, and the 3-woods, I hit it in the rough. So I didn't know what to do, like on the back nine if I should hit driver because I hit it on the fairway and 3-woods I tweaked in the rough. So it was a mix on the back nine.

I somehow steered it close to the rough, so it was pretty good. Overall, I played great. I'm fighting, like everybody else, hole by hole, and it's a long way to go still.

Q. Does your game plan change at all tomorrow?

ALEX CEJKA: No. It's the same. Again, this week, as I've said, it's par is your friend. Occasionally you make a birdie, and when you get yourself in trouble, you've got to just somehow fight to make bogeys. You've got to avoid those double bogeys, triple bogeys. That throws you way, way back. Hopefully, I'll get a couple good lies, a couple good drives, and I have an early tee time tomorrow. So I'm really looking forward to it.

THE MODERATOR: I've heard your nickname out here is "Major," obviously, with winning your first two starts in the senior majors, this one you're right in the mix again. The stat that I just saw come in, you've played nine senior major rounds, and you've never been outside the top four after any of them. What do you think it is about your game that really translates especially well to the major championships out here?

ALEX CEJKA: I'm grinding. Like all of us, we're practicing hard. We're really looking forward to play those tournaments, and I'm grinding, and I'm playing well. Golf can change very quickly in both directions. Right now I'm riding the wave. I'm pretty positive in my head, hitting good shots, executing occasionally. I'm lucky, if I hit a bad shot and a get a little bit better breaks, but it's just -- so far it's been a great run, and I hope it's going to continue for a couple more rounds, yes.

THE MODERATOR: How's everything in the RV? Are you cooking dinner there tonight, or do you usually go out and come back and relax there?

ALEX CEJKA: No, I'm cooking. I went over to Tim Petrovic's bus yesterday, so I watched him cook. But it's nice. It's very convenient this week. Like literally, 100 yards from the driving range. Everything is close by, so it's a great spot. I feel pretty comfortable so far here.