HONDA CLASSIC

February 26, 2022

Daniel Berger

PGA National Resort

Quick Quotes

Q. I read that you're going to have the tied for the largest lead ever at this tournament. Is that a testament to just how consistent you've been?

DANIEL BERGER: Yeah. I've played some great golf but the challenge is still ahead, 18 more holes, and I've got to stay focused on playing another great round tomorrow and if I can do that then I'll be holding the trophy at the end of the day.

Q. As well as you played, when you're out there, do you get a sense that conditions are difficult enough that it's going to beat some people up?

DANIEL BERGER: Absolutely. I mean, early in the week I felt that way on Tuesday. So yeah, it's going to be a challenge tomorrow. The greens are going to be I expect a little firmer and faster and I just have to continue to do the same thing I did today and hit fairways and greens and make some putts.

Q. I think I only caught the tail end of this but was there something with Chris's shot on 18 or hitting a tree or something like that?

DANIEL BERGER: Yeah. He had taken a practice swing and hit the tree in his back swing but it wasn't a penalty, so yeah.

Q. That was 14?

DANIEL BERGER: 14. Yeah.

Q. Talk about 10.

DANIEL BERGER: 10, I hit a drive to the right and had a little gap there and hit a nice little flighted 6-iron and ran it up the green and then I had 70 feet and hit a good first putt and then actually thought I miss the second putt but kind of curled it back in at the end which was a little bit of a surprise.

But yeah it was a good way to kind of continue the momentum after a good front nine.

Q. Talk about what goes through your mind when you see that putt go in and I saw you laughing a little bit afterwards.

DANIEL BERGER: A little bit of a shock. I thought I was going to be tapping in for 5 but sometimes you get good breaks here and there and that was definitely one of them.

Q. The other thing is a lot of people think with you making the Ryder Cup as a captain's pick and playing so well it's made you an even better player. Just how much do you think that experience has helped you?

DANIEL BERGER: Yeah, I mean, listen, there's very few times I've been nervous like that in a golf tournament before and that was definitely the most excited and nervous I've ever been. So I think once you experience that everything else is kind of a little easier to deal with.

Q. Your first tournament here you almost won. Here you are you got a great chance to do it tomorrow. Just talk about that.

DANIEL BERGER: Yeah, I mean, listen, there's 18 more holes to go and I have to play great golf tomorrow to have a chance to win, so I'm just going to stay patient and stay consistent and try to do as much fairways and greens as possible and that should be a good key to success.

Q. How does 17 play now with the extra stands? Do you feel any difference?

DANIEL BERGER: It doesn't feel any different, probably the most difficult part is they took the flags away on the top of the grandstands by the green, which makes it more challenging to know where the wind is. But, yeah, I mean it's a great atmosphere, it's a great hole to finish on, 17, 18, so, yeah, it's a great week.