ABERDEEN STANDARD INVESTMENTS SCOTTISH OPEN

July 9, 2021

Justin Thomas

The Renaissance Club

Quick Quotes

Q. 65, 69 first two days, are you happy with your first two days work?

JUSTIN THOMAS: It was okay. I didn't quite get much out of it today but I just got to start hitting my irons and approach shots closer to the hole. Drove the ball nicely today and not taking advantage. One of those days where I was between clubs a lot and had a couple things not quite go my way. I hit a pretty decent 3-wood into 7 there and it rolls off the edge of the bunker. Just little stuff like that where it could get turned around and make a birdie but to not get much out of my round the last two days and be where I am is a good spot.

Q. A little bit cooler and breezier this morning. How did that affect your play?

JUSTIN THOMAS: It wasn't much. It was still pretty tame and scorable for all things considered. I thought the pins were a little bit harder on some holes but yeah, just when the air gets this thick, it's a very, very strong breeze. The crosswinds, it will be blowing five, ten miles an hour but the ball really moves quite a bit.

Q. I know you're used to playing with these high-power players with Rory and Jon Rahm and yourself, what's that like? Does it bring a new dynamic or spice to the round?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yes and no. I mean, you could say so but I mean, at the end of the day, we're all just trying to play the best we can. With all due respect, we don't really care how the other guys are doing -- or at least me, I'm trying to take care of my work. You have a little bit more distractions and stuff going on here and there but everyone is respectful and so it's usually good fun.

Q. If someone had given you 8-under after the first two round yesterday, would you have been happy with that?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I guess, yeah, probably. How I got here -- I don't know, I've had some good and some bad and just it's kind of been an average couple days or just not really much fireworks, not much bad but just a couple things I need to tighten up on.

Q. What are those things?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I've got to start hitting it closer to the hole. Iron play and wedge game is a strength of mine, and I'm just not hitting it close enough to the holes.

Hit a lot of really good putts today. Had a lot of putts that broke early and stopped, and those are a lot harder to make and you have to really match up the speed and the line correctly. Just didn't quite do that on a couple of them but felt like I hit a lot of good putts that still could have gone in. For the most part, I feel like I've scored about as high as I could have.

Q. Interesting early start in the morning on the 10th, did you see what happened?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I did not, no.

Q. Jon Rahm, out in 29. Describe the ball-striking from Jon in that first nine holes this morning?

JUSTIN THOMAS: It was unbelievable. The putt on 18 was the longest one he made. He very realistically should have shot 9-under on the front nine. It was pretty impressive.

Q. You must be pleased to be in contention, three behind going into day three?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, for not having -- far from my best stuff but really managed my game well but I played solid. Haven't played bad by any means but haven't gotten any runs going. This is a course where you can do things like Jon and I can play a five- or six-hole stretch 4-, 5-, 6-under, and I haven't done that yet. But I feel like I'm close. Just need to sharpen things up and get the ball started better on line with my irons and I feel like it can happen.