VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

March 17, 2022

Justin Thomas

Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead)

Quick Quotes

Q. I know a lot about the round you just talked about here. You're 5-under 66 today. Can you talk about what you felt good about?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I felt good about everything. I played really well. I drove the ball beautifully, hit a lot of really quality iron shots, and I don't think I've ever had a round that I've hit so many good putts that haven't gone in.

These greens are very tough to read to where the grain is very subtle and it goes a lot of different ways. They do a great job with the pin positions of kind of putting them on little subtle spots that maybe stop breaking when they get to the hole or whatever. And man, I hit a lot of really, really good, I mean, probably five, six, seven putts today felt like that easily could have gone in that didn't.

But Bones just told me, keep staying patient, keep your head down, keep doing what we're doing, and some good things will happen, and it did those last eight holes.

Q. Can you take us through that monster putt, just walk us through what you saw and what you felt?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, it was after a great drive and a great 3-wood in there. I hit those two shots exactly how I would have planned it out. It was clearly not one I'm trying to make, you're just trying to get the speed right.

I will say it's kind of a feeder, if you can get it, get the speed right it's one of those that, at least a lot of really, really good putters will tell you, or just good players, will say you get it the right speed it kind of finds the fall line when you get those big breakers like that.

Hit it exactly where I wanted and seemed like if I could get it over there it could kind of make its way down that line and it fortunately did so that was a nice one to have.

Q. What was the club at 16?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Second shot? 9-iron.

Q. Will you go hit any putts after this?

JUSTIN THOMAS: No, I putted beautifully today. The only bad putt I think I hit was on 8, I just didn't quite hit it hard enough. But I hit a lot of great putts that didn't go in and at this point rest is probably more valuable than anything.

Q. What was the level of frustration with the putts not dropping?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I mean it was frustrating but at the same time it wasn't because -- I mean I was hitting them where I wanted to and I was hitting them the speed I wanted to. Those are the two things you try to do on every putt, and especially when you're in the afternoon, I mean the greens are obviously going to be more beat up.

And when Kiz -- I'm playing with one of the best putters in golf and he's kind of confused on some putts too, I mean that goes to show you, it's not -- it's a stupid game that we play sometimes. I hit a lot of great putts inside of 12 feet that burned the edge and didn't go in and then I made a 64-footer. So sometimes it doesn't make sense.

Q. Do you think the course can get dried out by Sunday?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Maybe the fairways. Not really, I don't think it can -- I hope it does, but I don't see -- there just would need a really windy day to dry it out by Sunday.