CLUB CAR CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE LANDINGS CLUB

April 3, 2022

T.J. Vogel

Press Conference

Q. T.J., tell us about today. Got off to a very hot start.

T.J. VOGEL: Yeah, that pushed me over the edge I feel like, getting off to the hot start. I was hitting it great and making some putts, and I didn't really leaderboard watch so I didn't really get too uncomfortable until the end.

In the middle of the back nine I kind of knew where I was and had a couple squirrely shots, but I was able to recover.

Me and my caddie, we had a great game plan today and we just stuck with it no matter what. Want to thank him, too, because, yeah, this is my first win and it was special and he was a big part of it.

Q. What does a win like this mean to your career as a whole?

T.J. VOGEL: It's huge. We all want to move up to the big tour, and this helps a lot. Still got work to do, (wind) certain amount of points, but this is a huge steppingstone.

It gives me the relief that I know I'm going to be around for at least a couple years and giving myself chance to move up and really make some money.

Q. Sam Burns also had his first win here.

T.J. VOGEL: That'll work.

Q. Seeing what he's done in the last few years, is that motivation for you?

T.J. VOGEL: Yeah, for sure. He's a lot younger than me. I'm more of an old grinder I feel like. Yeah, I know that I can play up at that level, and I've played enough out there to know.

Today just solidifies that I know I can do it, I can win. Just learning from that experience you can kind of push it and try to learn -- try to win at every level.

Q. How many times have you played this tournament?

T.J. VOGEL: I think this is my fourth. I think. But I've played well every year. I had a feeling that -- you like a certain course and you go into the week and you feel comfortable and things go your way, they go your way.

Q. What does the experience here mean, this whole week and playing at this course and for people around Savannah?

T.J. VOGEL: I mean, this is the best tournament I think we have all year; right there with it. It feels more like a PGA TOUR event than any other event, in my opinion.

The atmosphere, the way that they treat us, the hospitality and the course conditions, closest we get I feel. So the tournament and the staff, everyone deserves a huge round of applause.

Q. Having played here before, did that help you relax this week?

T.J. VOGEL: It did. I'm just comfortable here. This course fits my eye. I love the greens here and I putted well here in the, past. I putted great this week; probably the best I've ever putted, so that helps.

Q. You eagled 3 and then had three straight birdies, 5 through 7.

T.J. VOGEL: Yeah.

Q. At that point, did it kind of sink in, like, all right, I really have a shot?

T.J. VOGEL: Yeah, after the eagle, I mean, I know that 5 is -- that's an easy hole. If you just hit a good shot, you're two-putting.

So I knew I was going to have a couple good chances, and I hit the green on 6, too, and it was like, wow, all right we can really start going here.

I missed the green on 6 to the left, which is the way you couldn't do, but I made it. You know, I chipped it in. Really tough chip, and at that point it was kind of like, okay, wow. That's going my way and those good feelings start to come. You're just like, okay, I got a shot here.

And then...

Q. What did you chip in with?

T.J. VOGEL: It was a 50 degree. Just bumped it up the hill.

Q. You said you don't scoreboard watch a lot, but did you know --

T.J. VOGEL: Well, I didn't this week.

Q. Did you know that you were tied for first or that it was so close?

T.J. VOGEL: I somewhat knew where I was, and then I -- 17 is where I was like, okay, me. Mark and I, I think, were tied at that point, maybe. And I had a really (indiscernible) shot and I was like, I need to get this up and down.

I didn't really have a choice. I hit a great shot and then made the putt and kind of propelled me. After that, I felt really good. That's a tough hole and anything can happen.

Q. You kind of joked with your speech there you can now pay for your wedding.

T.J. VOGEL: Yeah, that's huge, man. I live in California. It's not cheap. Our wedding is not cheap. It's going to be great. I'm glad that, yes, I can now pay for it.

My fiancée, she works so hard at home. She works extra. She's been working extra for months. We're trying to do our best out there to pay for our wedding and to buy a home and just progress in life, you know.

And I can't thank her enough for her sacrifices because she's really worked so hard, and then it's kind of inspired me that I need to get it together and do my part.

Q. Is that who you were talking to on the phone?

T.J. VOGEL: Yeah. I talked to her first and then my parents after.

Q. So after you finished, you're the third to final group, what did you do in that time before you got word that you won, and I guess what were the emotions?

T.J. VOGEL: Well, I signed the scorecard first, so I did that. After that, just went to range and just chatted it up with caddie and Frank. Just trying to stay as loose as possible, honestly. I've never been in this position, so I was just trying to say loose, honestly.

You don't want to think of the worst. You're just like, I know I got a lead. You just hope that it holds on.

Q. I head, Go Dogs when you put the jacket on. Did you get a lot of that this week?

T.J. VOGEL: I didn't get any. I don't hear that anyway.

Q. You talked a little bit about keeping belief and people keeping you in it. What's it meant to have a good support system and for you to be able to believe...

T.J. VOGEL: Yes, I mean, this isn't an individual victory for me. This is a team victory. I have an awesome team around me and I love them all.

This is for them. So I couldn't do it without them, you know. I don't think any of us could out here. We all have our teams and they mean so much to us.

We need that support. It's tough out here. The sport is so individual and you're on the road all the time. I just started working with Jerry, my caddie, earlier this year in Panama. We had our first event. I finished 10th and we got off to a great start, so I kept him around.

I just believed that he would help me get through this, and he did.

Q. New coach this year?

T.J. VOGEL: New caddie. Coach I've had last three or four years.

Q. Any plans to wear the jacket out at all tonight to celebrate?

T.J. VOGEL: We'll see. (Laughter.)