U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 8, 2021

Mark O'Meara

Omaha Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Overall impressions of your round today.

MARK O'MEARA: I played all right. I drove the ball pretty well. I was 2-under through six. I made a bogey on 7, which you can do. You're going to make some bogeys out here. Missed the fairway on 10, made bogey, but then I made a birdie, and then I missed the fairway on 14, I guess it was. You miss the fairways around here, you're not going to play very well. Luckily I drove the ball pretty good. I could have hit my irons a little better, but I'm pleased with even par. 70 is not a bad score out there today.

Q. Maybe just take me through those couple birdies earlier in your round.

MARK O'MEARA: 1st hole, I made about an 18-footer for birdie down the hill, which was nice. Then the par-5, No. 6, I hit a good drive and a rescue to about 12 feet for eagle. I two-putted for the birdie. Obviously, I hit in the bunker on 7, blasted out, missed about a 12-footer for par. 10, I drove it in the left bunker and didn't really have a shot. Wedged out, wedged it on the green and missed it.

The birdie on 13, I hit a 4-iron off the tee and a sand wedge to about ten feet behind the hole and made that for birdie. Then on 14 I drove it in the right rough. Next hole, was just short of the green and didn't get the ball up-and-down and made bogey. Then I just parred the last four holes.

Q. What's your overall impression of how was the course today?

MARK O'MEARA: Good. I played here in '13, so I remember the golf course. It's all you want. It's not a short golf course. The rough is incredibly thick and long. Like I said, if you're not driving the ball well -- they give you plenty of room out there, but you still have to stand up there and hit a good drive. If you can do that, you can probably get around with a decent score.

Q. Was it more a test of endurance coming back?

MARK O'MEARA: A little bit. At 64, it's always a bit of a hike out there, but I enjoy it. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here.