U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 8, 2021

Jerry Smith

Omaha Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Jerry, 1-under 69. What is it about the Senior Opens? You've had some good rounds in the past.

JERRY SMITH: You've got to drive it straight, obviously, and I did a good job of that today. Then I hit it in the right places, but -- and I really managed my game pretty well. I didn't leave myself in too many bad places. And lag putting. Lag putting is important in these tournaments, so did a good job there as well.

I like them. They're tough, and I like that. I like when the conditions are tougher and the courses are tougher. It just makes you focus and hit good golf shots.

Q. I understand you're an Iowa native. Does it mean anything more coming back close to home?

JERRY SMITH: Yeah, it does. I was born in Council Bluffs, and my dad had his first job over here at Dodge Park. We weren't here but a couple years, but it does. I haven't been back there very much, but I grew up in Iowa, spent my whole time, played all my golf there growing up. It's just right across the river. So, yeah, it does mean always a lot to come back to the Midwest. Anywhere in the Midwest is a lot of fun for us.

Q. What did you think of the course and the layout?

JERRY SMITH: I was glad there was no wind out there, and it warmed up a little bit. Yesterday I thought this golf course wouldn't be much fun if it's cool and wet and windy. So I don't know what the rest of the week is going to hold for us, but it's tough. The rough is very severe, very penal. The fairways, I guess, are wider than what they were the time before, so that helps. Obviously, you've got to just hit from the fairways.

It really doesn't matter -- I mean, it does, what you have into the holes. You'd like to have shorter shots, but at least you feel like you've got a chance if you're in the fairway.