THE 149TH OPEN

July 15, 2021

Webb Simpson

Mixed Zone

Q. Webb, a 4-under par round of 66. How satisfied were you with today's performance?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, today was a great day. I felt like a day when the wind is gusting and blowing this much, it's hard to make all your four- to seven-footers for par, and I did that today, capitalised on the shorter holes.

But it feels nice shooting the same score in 2011, my first time over here at the British Open, so I really enjoy this golf course and I feel comfortable on it. Even though it played difficult today, I still enjoy the challenge of it. It certainly was challenging.

Thrilled to death with 4-under today.

Q. How important is it for you to get that momentum early in the championship?

WEBB SIMPSON: You know, I haven't had great form lately. I've been working on it. I've battled injury this year, sickness, and so just to get a good round in a major championship to kind of set me up for the week feels great.

You know, I haven't played a whole lot in the last two months, and so I've just been working on the right things, I guess, and today was kind of fruit from the hard work.

Q. Considering the conditions and the fact that you had the harder half of the draw, the evening gang, to come out with 4-under with five birdies and just one bogey, how satisfying is it to know that you've probably done the best of your side of the draw?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, that feels great. I think the guys this morning certainly had some wind, and I don't know how gusty it was. It was certainly gusty for us. But seeing the leaderboard, definitely more good scores this morning, so that does feel good.

Hopefully tomorrow morning -- I'm not too early, but can at least get nine holes in before it really picks up. So it is satisfying, and you never know what the wind is going to do. You never know what the rain is going to do. We got rain on the 17th hole today and it wasn't supposed to rain. You kind of have to stay patient here and just do as good as you can wherever you are.

Q. You had nine out of 14 fairways hit. You obviously were hitting the ball well from the tee. How important is that around Royal St George's if you want to post a good score?

WEBB SIMPSON: Very important. You know, it's easier to hit fairways now than it was in 2011. I remember more hills, more slopes in 2011, and the rough is thicker than 2011. It's kind of hit or miss whether you get a good lie in the rough.

I had a couple bad ones today, a couple good ones, and so fairways are always important. They're more important here than I feel like most Open Championship venues.

I know there's been a lot of rain this summer, so it's grown and gotten healthy.

Q. Are you confident now bringing today's form into the weekend and hopefully making a push for a potential major?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yes. I felt great tee to green today. I didn't feel like I was struggling in any part of my game. I had fun out there.

I feel like I've had enough experience to know what I need to do to get in that position on Sunday to have a chance. But a lot of golf to play tomorrow, Saturday, just to give myself a chance on Sunday.