THE 149TH OPEN

July 15, 2021

Rafael Cabrera Bello

Mixed Zone

Q. Rafa, thanks for joining us. Even par round to start the 149th Open. Talk to us about your day out there.

RAFAEL CABRERA BELLO: Well, I mean, I felt tee-to-green I played really good. I wish it would've been a little better on the greens, but I -- it was -- I struggled to get the ball in the hole.

I had a practice round yesterday at the exact same time I was teeing off today, so I tee'd off at 2:00 pm yesterday and played 18 holes. So I felt that helped me a lot because it gave me a really good idea of how the course was potentially going to play today.

I watched a bit of TV this morning of course just to see how was it bouncing and stuff. Overall I felt I managed myself pretty good. Drove it well. Hit some very, very good irons. Just hopefully few more putts drop in and I can keep this good play and climb up the leaderboard.

Q. Just on the greens, is it just trying to get the speed of them right or is it something else that's going on for you there with the putting?

RAFAEL CABRERA BELLO: No, it's just I didn't feel I hit the ball putting great today. I didn't start it on the lines I wanted. It's hard to make putts like that.

It's just struggled a little, and hopefully it'll be gone by tomorrow.

Q. Even par round is a nice way to start The Open. Plenty of opportunities early tomorrow to move up the leaderboard.

RAFAEL CABRERA BELLO: Yeah, I think on an Open when you start around par it's never bad, especially I think the afternoon was -- I mean, it felt a little breezier than that morning perhaps. I wouldn't now exactly.

But that's the feeling I got. You cannot win it today you can only lose it today, and level par definitely keeps me in it with all the door opens.