BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

August 26, 2021

Harold Varner

Caves Valley Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Harold, 5-under 67 today; excellent way to start the BMW Championship. Just one bogey on the card. What are your takeaways?

HAROLD VARNER III: Obviously a great start. Just want to give myself a chance to make it to East Lake, and obviously winning this tournament would be probably the only way I can get there, so it's a good start.

Q. Last week you mentioned a lot about attitude and having a good mindset; what mindset did you bring to the course today?

HAROLD VARNER III: The same. Obviously it showed in the scores. Just accepting what happens. Just quit trying to control everything. It's easy to do in this game, and it's just not possible to do it well. You just hit it and go find it and do it again.

Played well today. I've been playing well since we started -- since I started playing, I guess Reno I was playing well, so it's just good to keep it rolling. Not far from home. I want to get to East Lake pretty much.

Q. With the compressed timeline of prep and the Monday finish and learning the new golf course, how did you feel out there today?

HAROLD VARNER III: The hardest part was walking the golf course. It's pretty hilly. But being ready to play, that's easy. If you would have told me I had a chance to be in the top 70 and no practice round, I would have been fine.

Once again, it's perspective, attitude, and it is what it is. They made a decision we were going to finish on Monday, and we played Monday, and just come on over. Pretty easy.

Q. In terms of your game, in terms of what you saw today, what will be the keys for you to continue this positive momentum for the rest of the week?

HAROLD VARNER III: If you hit it in the fairway you can get some good looks. It's soft enough. I just hope we keep playing ball in hand because I had a ton of mud balls. We'll see how that goes. They all know how to mess that one up.

Q. How much do you think about all those ancillary things that come with making it to East Lake?

HAROLD VARNER III: Actually I don't think about it at all. I just know if I make it to East Lake I'm going to make a lot of money, and kids aren't cheap. Yeah, I want to be there. I think I should be there, so it's -- I don't see why not.

Q. Someone asked Cam Smith the other day what he would do with $15 million. What would you do with $15 million?

HAROLD VARNER III: I'd have one hell of a foundation. Yeah, I'd be able to help a lot of kids. Yeah, it would be sick. I'd be living the high life, high on the hog all the time.

Q. What was the process like bringing a good attitude?

HAROLD VARNER III: You just have a meltdown, have some good heart-to-hearts. Having good people around you helps out a lot. When things are slipping and you just have a -- it's not pretty; it's nothing I'd want to be on TV with, but you've got to have those things. To be good at anything, you have to have people that put you in check more or less. I don't really like it. I'm not really good at listening to it, but it's a must.

Q. Do you just talk to the same people over and over again?

HAROLD VARNER III: I actually listen and do what I'm supposed to do. The same thing they would do for me, and I appreciate that.

If I'm not going out there with the best mindset, I'm not doing them -- especially my caddie of all people. You're doing them a disservice by not bringing the best attitude every day.

Q. Just talk about your thoughts on the Baltimore area, the PGA TOUR event here in 60 years and I want to get your thoughts on the fans and atmosphere.

HAROLD VARNER III: I did not know that. But I know why they call it Caves Valley. It seems like if you make a putt, you can hear it on the whole golf course, so that's pretty cool.

Yeah, there's a lot of people. I like people a lot. I like to make them scream. So it's good.

Q. What are your overall thoughts on the course?

HAROLD VARNER III: Oh, it's good. I mean, it's pretty awesome. Reminds me of a place that Tom Fazio did in North Carolina called Diamond Creek that I've played a few times, same setup, cottages, and a good time. I'm thinking about if I was to come back, I definitely wouldn't be keeping my score, that's for sure.

Q. Is Diamond Creek the course with the waves and the birds and stuff?

HAROLD VARNER III: No, no, that would be Grand Folly, I think. That's got like the blob and all that. I've played there a few times. I love that area of the world.

I'm biased to North Carolina. I think it's the best state in the world. Yeah, every chance I can get, I go up there. The high is probably 71 today there, and it'll be 100 in Charlotte.

Q. I know you guys do a lot of it on TOUR, but when you come to a course you haven't seen before, what are the priorities to get yourself situated?

HAROLD VARNER III: As long as we're not playing at altitude, 150 yards is 150 yards. You just play golf. It's not like it's -- if someone invited you to play some golf somewhere, you're not going to go because you haven't played it before. I don't think it's that hard. Some people are way more analytical and like dive into it, and this is where you've got to hit. I just get up to it and hit it fairly as hard as I can, and hopefully it goes straight.