March 13, 2022
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA
TPC Sawgrass
Quick Quotes
Q. Paul, how would you characterize the last two days?
PAUL CASEY: Last three, four days. I don't know if I've ever had two full days off at a tournament. How would I characterize it? It's been weird. It started with a triple bogey on Thursday to start my championship, start my PLAYERS. Ground out 2-under, which I was immensely happy with, especially as I knew there was going to be a delay of some sort.
I know I got the lucky side of the draw. I'm very aware of that. And it's been interesting watching the guys battle on the other side. I mean, I believe in the golfing gods and karma, so I don't sit there gleefully watching it.
J.T.'s bogey-free 3-under I thought was phenomenal. What would that have been in the conditions I've just had? I don't know, maybe a 7-under or something like that, maybe 8, who knows?
Then today I made a lot of putts. That's been the key really. Even my ball striking hasn't been up to my usual sort of standard. But then dropping the long one on 17 was very, very cool. I've made some numbers through the years.
Long answer to your question, I stand here really happy. It's been a long week, but I'm rested. I've had two days of sleep.
Q. Knowing what we do now about the setup and the way the draw works out, when you step up to 18 and see that tee box as far forward as you've probably ever seen, did that make you think twice about how you were playing it today?
PAUL CASEY: In what way would it make me think twice?
Q. What did you play off that tee?
PAUL CASEY: I hit 3-wood. What would I play off that tee?
Q. I'm just curious where the tee box was, did it make you think twice because it's normally not there?
PAUL CASEY: No, I was like, I'm sure I've played off of that tee box before, but it was probably 15 years ago. This tee box has just gone further and further back. I'm sure I've probably played off that tee box before. We used to hit iron off that tee. There was a time we used to hit iron. Tiger used to hit his stinger off of that tee. I don't recall doing it from the back tee.
Q. When you're coming off a round that's as disappointing as the one was at Bay Hill, is that easier to flush it when it's quite bad?
PAUL CASEY: I actually played quite well at Bay Hill for my 83.
I would be in the camp that I didn't agree with the setup at Bay Hill. My quick explanation to that, I believe in balance. Two things. One, the architecture doesn't lend itself to that setup. It's a resort golf course. Two, there should be balance. If you're going to have greens as firm and fast, which I've got no issue with it, but then have no rough. If you're going to have rough, then it needs to be a softer green. No balance to that setup.
I've got to give massive credit to Steven Cox and the rest of the team, because this setup has been brilliant. 13 pin locations, I think, were changed yesterday for -- sorry, whatever day it was, for the second round. It's been brilliant. He's an asset to the TOUR, and he's done a great job.
Q. What did happen on 10 on Thursday?
PAUL CASEY: Pulled it into the junk on the left and then took another -- took a penalty, chipped it out, chunked it short, chunked the chip, missed the putt.
Q. What was the tee shot? What club?
PAUL CASEY: 3-wood left, yeah. So today I hit the cart path on the right and then hit it. I've got about 120 yards between my tee shots on 10.
Q. How do you navigate these next like two days to get this thing finished?
PAUL CASEY: I mean, I've got lots of energy, having stayed fresh the last two days. Today's going to be a long day. I'm not going to get done, I think.
How do I navigate it? We're only halfway through, which is crazy, I think. There's a lot of golf left. Leaderboard hasn't even started to shape up yet. I think like I've got lucky that a few guys have been spat out just because of the draw, and that makes it a little easier to look at in terms of people I've got to beat. We'll see.
Q. Paul, what did you do yesterday? How did you spend your day off?
PAUL CASEY: Oh, I came here. I got to the 1st tee. So I actually got to the 1st tee, did a full warmup and was told we weren't going to tee off. So that was it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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