JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 9, 2021

Steve Stricker

TPC Deere Run

Quick Quotes

Q. Good round today, 5-under 66. Your accuracy, just one missed fairway, two missed greens. How good did you feel about today's round?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, it was a good solid day, and I needed it to hang around for the weekend. My goal starting the day was to get like 6-, 7- or 8-under today, so I fell a little short of my goal, but played solid. One little hiccup at No. 11 but otherwise struck it nicely and made a couple more putts today than I did yesterday, which helps.

Yeah, it was a good one. It was a good one to get so I could play this weekend.

Q. You played with Brian and Dylan today. I couldn't help but think, younger guys who have won this tournament watched a wily veteran find a way to grind it out. Did you find as a younger golfer that you learned from the veterans?

STEVE STRICKER: Oh, yeah, for sure. I can tell you that the first PGA TOUR event I played in and who I played with, and I watched him go about his business. He was playing well at the time, and hey, you learn a lot from the guys you're playing with.

Yeah, I've been around here a lot of times, and I understand the golf course. I have a lot of confidence here on this golf course. I've got that going for me in that regard. You've still got to hit the shots and you've still got to make the putts, and I was able to do that a little bit today.

But yeah, you can learn from the guys you're playing with, whether you're old or young. But the older you are, it seems like those guys are a little bit smarter in how they manage their game and attack the golf courses, especially courses that they've played well at.

Q. What's your management style for Saturday, now that you're well in the hunt?

STEVE STRICKER: Well, just -- you've got to go out there and try to make birdies. I'm a long ways from the lead. I'm eight back as of now, I think, or maybe seven back. What's leading, 13? Yeah, so seven back. So I've got to go out and make something happen. I've got to shoot a really low one tomorrow or Sunday or both.

That's going to be my mentality, and hopefully I can hit it like I did today and make a few more putts.

Q. You had some interaction with Bobbi after she had the broadcast or something?

STEVE STRICKER: She was doing PGA TOUR Live, or on the radio, I think. Yeah, so she had fun with that and enjoyed that a lot.

Q. It looked like at one point you went over and said something to her.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, on the second hole there they were just getting ready and started, and I knew she was nervous, so I tried to break the tension for her a little bit.

Q. I was going to ask you about your decision to come back here. How much did the 50th anniversary play into coming here instead of going to Omaha?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, a lot. It just made sense for me to come back here. This tournament has meant a lot to me over the years. It's a special place for me. You guys all know that. It's hurt the last few times I haven't been able to come here.

It was really a no-brainer for me to come here. I wish the two events were at different times. I could have played both of them. But it is what it is, but this is the spot for me to be this week.

Q. How important is it for you to maybe get to know some of these younger guys that I'm sure would like to be a part of your team in September?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, that's part of the reason why I continue to play out here is because of the Ryder Cup and just making sure -- even though there's not a lot of guys that are going to be on the team from here, but there are a couple guys here that I'm watching and paying attention to to see how they play.

Obviously the British Open next week I'll have an interest in watching and seeing how the guys do over there, but yeah, any time I can come out here and be around these young players and see them, I think it just helps.

Q. After being in Wisconsin yesterday and talking to some of the people up there, they say it sounds like you might get to play for a capacity house in September. Is that what you've been told, and if so, does it make it even feel better that it got pushed back a year so you can have maybe 30,000, 35,000 people a day out there?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, for sure. All indications are pointing towards that so far, unless something major happens from here until then. All these things are kind of opening up. The Brewers are playing at full capacity in a stadium, so why shouldn't we be able to do that outside on a golf course? Yeah, all things are pointing in that direction.