THE RYDER CUP

September 24, 2021

Scottie Scheffler

Whistling Straits

Press Conference

Friday Afternoon Fourballs

Q. Talk about the dynamic today.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I knew what I was getting into. It's not like I expected to go out there and be the bomber. We had a good game plan today and stuck to it, did a really good job. Stayed patient. I felt like I made a couple mental errors.

Other than that we stayed in the match. 7-under in those winds, pretty school lid score, best-ball. Unfortunate to only get a half-point, but going against two players like that, we knew it was going to be a tough match.

Q. As a Ryder Cup rookie, did it help to know exactly what you had to do on day one, exactly what your role was, exactly who you were playing with, to have that certainty early in the week, was that helpful?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Sure. I knew exactly what to expect today. I didn't know who we were going to be playing, but other than that I knew exactly -- we had a great game plan for today and we knew exactly what we were going to do and how we were going to try to attack this golf course and stuck to it most of the day.

Q. What was Captain Stricker's message to the team and why do you think it resonated so early and throughout the day?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: It's been pretty relaxed most of the week. There's been no crazy huge speeches. Steve has done a great job in his prep the last couple weeks, just getting ready and getting comfortable. I think everybody is really comfortable in the team room and the guys are playing free golf right now. It's really nice to get both those sessions and have a 6-2 lead going into tomorrow.

Q. What did you think of the line Bryson took on 5 and did that eagle spark him to play such a good round?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: That was probably the most excited he's ever been on a golf course was on No. 5. That wind, we had it on one of our practice days, and we figured out what he needed to do, so to have an opportunity to do that in competition was amazing. I was jacked up for him as well.

I think he pushed it a little bit, but he smashed it. So thankfully he pushed it just a touch. If he pulls that ball at all, it's weird, there are two towers behind the green, I can't even describe to you -- yeah, they are like 250 or 200 yards right of where I'm trying to hit my drive, and it's crazy for him to be able to commit to that shot.

I know he's very happy to make a three as well; if he made a five, he said he was probably going to go home. It was great. That was a good spark for us and good momentum for the rest of the day.