THE BAHAMAS GREAT EXUMA CLASSIC AT SANDALS EMERALD BAY

January 18, 2022

Corey Shaun

Press Conference

Q. Great round, 64. That's one of the lower rounds around here. Why don't you walk us through some of the highlights and big points in the round today.

COREY SHAUN: Yeah, pretty consistent all day: eight birdies, no bogeys.

Just hit it pretty well, pretty consistently. I think most importantly I made some putts. First two days I felt like I was striking it pretty good as well, but I just couldn't get anything to drop. A little frustrating, but I guess it evens out sometimes.

So felt really good. Hit a lot of wedges close. Made a lot of mid-range kind of 50/50 putts that you probably should make if you're in contention for a tournament.

Yeah, really happy with how it went.

Q. Did you show up and play Tuesday, Wednesday and feel pretty good about how your game suited the course? A lot of the guys that seem like they play well here are guys that have been here a couple times and have some experience here.

COREY SHAUN: Honestly, a few days ago I was -- I hurt my back during final stage of Q-School this past couple months ago and I had to pull out from that event because it was causing me too much pain.

So I had to take about five weeks off, and I was still so sore leading up to this tournament that the day before the official practice round I couldn't even go out on the golf course. I just hit some balls in practice a little bit. I was like, If I play nine holes my back is going to give out.

And then I don't know what's going on right now, but the Aleve or the adrenaline is helping out, and so far so good.

Q. College, not anything remarkable in terms of college. Turn pro and all of a sudden taken off the last couple years for you. What is maybe the biggest difference for you or adjustment that you made between the end of college to 2021?

COREY SHAUN: I would say in college it took me some time really knowing my game knowing like how to practice, and it just takes time sometimes. With a lot of other commitments, schoolwork, everything, I did struggle a little bit, and I think later on I kind of just got a better understanding of what made me a good golfer and what I needed to do to shoot good scores.

Not just what people might say I have to do, but kind of like my own self saying, All right, this is what I'm going to do to hit a good shot or just get it close to the hole, do whatever have to do.

Q. What would you say are some of those things for you? Practice routine or more mental?

COREY SHAUN: I think I already had a pretty good grinder's mentality, because I've had spurts where I would not hit it very good at all, kind of off the planet, but just find a way to keep it around level par.

That was back in the day.

And feel like I kept that mentality, but with a little bit more consistency and like I think really just the tee shots. I think that was my biggest nemesis back in the day. Nowadays I just try to keep them in play however I can, especially on a course like this that's pretty tight, it's windy, you got to know what your ball is doing.

I think having all that, you know, feeling better about that, really has helped my golf game in the last year or two.

Q. As you have gotten some time away from that stretch on the Forme Tour last year, when you look back on it a little bit now, what are the biggest things that you remember happening with the kind of maybe emotional moments for you? What do you remember about it?

COREY SHAUN: All the success I had on the Forme Tour came in the second half of the season. Honestly I didn't really expect it. I didn't know where my game was. I just felt like I wasn't that far off, but I didn't really know I was capable of winning or anything like that either out there, because my last three events I had like a first, second, and a fourth.

I felt like I just wanted to play every week, so I always felt like I had a chance to contend. That's at least what it felt like. But before that, I mean, just kind of whatever results and really not much changed, but little things, scoring a little better, keeping it slightly closer to the hole, stuff like that.

Q. And you had your dad on the bag. Was it just the win or...

COREY SHAUN: He was on the bag the whole season, so I didn't play the first two events. I didn't get in, but the last six events he was on the bag, yeah.

Q. He's here this week?

COREY SHAUN: Yeah, he's on the bag again.

Q. Is that a player/caddie relationship or still father/son?

COREY SHAUN: It's more father/son I would say. I won't lie. Sometimes if I hit a bad shot it's kind of more like, What was that? Instead of like a caddie's mentality of, Oh, you'll get them.

But it's still helpful because I think having my dad on the bag I feel a little bit more comfortable. Like I don't have to prove anything. I don't have to worry about like what's the right shot. I just got to do like what I know is like most comfortable for me, and my dad knows what's most comfortable for me, too.

It's really like a second opinion. Just a confirmation. It's like, 8-iron? He's like, Yeah. I'm like, Okay.

Q. Did your dad play a lot of golf growing up or learned it through you?

COREY SHAUN: Not really. I mean, he probably learned golf in his 30s. He was nothing more than just like a golfer at your local public course that played kind of often. Probably like a decent like high 70s shooter, but nothing like elite or anything like that.

But he taught me and got me into it, and that's how I got to where I am today.

Q. What would you say you're most looking forward to about tomorrow?

COREY SHAUN: Just always looking forward to having the chance to contend in a golf tournament. I won't know how I stand at the end of this day, but I hope that I'll have the opportunity to at least put up a run or put up a good number.

If not, everything I do is just going to be learning. And like I said, three weeks ago pretty much like my back was -- I hadn't made a full swing until about three weeks ago.

Just like four days ago I was struggling and I just wanted to like at best finish the tournament, and then second goal is make the cut.

So I feel like, yeah, everything else is icing.

Q. Do you feel because of three weeks ago or four days ago you may have had no expectations, that that kind of put you where you are, 10-under right now?

COREY SHAUN: A little bit. I think I didn't overwork myself, that's for sure.

I think because if I had a more healthy back I think this past month or whatever, preparing for those events I would've been grinding for sure.

Otherwise, I was kind of just doing about an hour a day every other day because I couldn't really handle too much more. I think when I got back out there on the golf course it kind of just felt like back in the -- like normal.

Leading up to this, yeah, I definitely wasn't putting pressure on myself. I was thinking like, Oh, well, I haven't really practiced. It's like whatever. When you're on the course it's a little bit different, but definitely different mentality.