RBC HERITAGE

April 16, 2022

Harold Varner

Harbour Town Golf Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Good day for you today. How would you characterize the round?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, I think having a clean card was really what I wanted to do, just give myself a lot of looks. I think I was able to do that a lot and executed some putts as well.

It was a lot of fun. I had a good time with Troy. I really just wanted to beat the rain honestly because I think it's coming.

Q. You had a little bit of a tough finish yesterday. How were you able to put that aside and come out and have that strong day?

HAROLD VARNER III: I would say I'm really good at putting things aside, but I did not put that aside. I was very not happy how it panned out, but it was great for me. I just wanted to execute and just respond to like a situation to where I didn't have any control over it. I could have hit a better shot, but I didn't really like how it went down.

You know, it was good for me because I was very irate till I got to the golf course today.

Q. This is a completely different golf course when there's not as much wind out there, isn't it?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, for sure. I think the greens are just a little bit slower, so you're not like you're trying to make everything no matter how far you are. You're not really thinking about blowing it by, and I think that's a good thing because yesterday. If they wouldn't have been fast, we would have been out there all day.

Q. You said you're pretty sure the weather is coming. What do you do overnight to prepare yourself for tomorrow?

HAROLD VARNER III: Same thing I always do. Play with that kid he falls asleep and watch some basketball. Let me think. I do nothing. It's kind of nice. I'm going to have three weeks off here in a minute, not next week, and I'm going to the Kentucky Derby and I'm going to Bandon Dunes on a golf trip. We'll have fun in the sun in a little bit.

Q. What happened on No. 6 yesterday?

HAROLD VARNER III: Hit it out of bounds and just -- man, I just didn't really know what to do. This old man was trying to help, and he ended up picking up my golf ball, and then he almost fell in the creek. Then we're sitting there, and we're like, well, the ball's not exactly where it was.

Coxy asked him where the ball was -- the guy's like, oh, I put the ball back right where it was. I just happened to be right there, and I'm like, no, he didn't. I find it weird that the rules are -- why would what he says matter about what I saw? I don't get that. So I'll talk to Coxy about it. I thought that was very odd.

But it was great for me. It pissed me off and made me ready to fight every chance I could.

Q. Is the idea that it might have been inbounds and he might have moved it out by accident?

HAROLD VARNER III: Without a doubt. The biggest thing for me that I could sleep on is that there was out of bounds right of the creek, and the TV said it's in the creek. There's a golf ball right there. I'm not going to be naive and be like my ball couldn't go there. So I did the right thing, and I said, hey, can you see if that's my ball? At the time, we couldn't find a bridge to get across the creek.

It's great. I won't stop talking about it until I talk to Coxy. At some point, the players should have -- if I wouldn't have been there and didn't see the guy move the ball, I don't -- cool, I'll go back to the tee. But I'm looking there, and I'm like that's not right. The rules are there to protect the players, I thought.

Q. So it's his word against yours?

HAROLD VARNER III: Which I thought, and I don't think that's right. I don't think that's right at all. Like I don't get it. It doesn't make sense.

You could sit here and say I shouldn't hit the golf ball there, but I've seen worse shots.

Q. And that's why you were irate?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, it's funny. I'll get Coxy. He gave me a ruling today on No. 8, and then we just smiled. I'll see you soon.

Q. Players have their favorite courses. Is this one of yours?

HAROLD VARNER III: No. It's my favorite because we can drive here. No, no.

Q. Why not?

HAROLD VARNER III: Every tee shot is super uncomfortable, especially when it's windy, and I've hit it out of bounds everywhere here. Last year first hole, I hit it out of bounds. It's just hard off the tee. Sometimes I feel like I'm always kind of guiding it out there, but if you can guide it out there for 72 holes, you can do some damage.

Q. Does that speak to how well you're playing right now? You told us during the week it's not one of your favorites?

HAROLD VARNER III: Without a doubt. That's what the best players do, I think. They play well everywhere, whether they like it or not.

Q. Harold, this might sound weird, but has your drive to win your first PGA TOUR title dimmed at all now that you won earlier this year to add on to your Australian win?

HAROLD VARNER III: No, I think it's even more just because -- not that people doubt it, they're just like, I've won in Australia, I've won somewhere else that I can't speak of. I mean, it just proves that I can win, and I just want to do it here.

Sometimes I think it can be like a focus. There's always other stuff to do, people to entertain, but I feel like it just keeps giving me more confidence. The best thing that I can do is just run my course, like this is my journey.

It's just weird I'm getting old. When people say, oh, you've been out here this long and you haven't won, I'm like, oh, really. So it surprises me sometimes, but I just think I'm getting closer every time.

Q. And how have you adapted your day job to your full-time job as a dad?

HAROLD VARNER III: That's easy. My wife is incredible. I mean, I watched my kid for the first time without her over my shoulder this week, so, yeah, it's pretty easy. She's pretty protective. You can't do anything. He like breathes, and something's wrong. Don't tell her that but --

Q. So your practice schedule hasn't changed?

HAROLD VARNER III: No. I like to play a lot of golf, and not yet. Once he starts roaming, I think it will change. He can't do much right now. Once he starts moving like, hey, I want to do something with my dad, I think it will change a lot then because my wife won't let me take him anywhere. So it is what it is.