PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 18, 2022

Adri Arnaus

Southern Hills Country Club

Flash Quotes

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon. Welcome back to the 2022 PGA Championship here at Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are pleased to be joined by Adri Arnaus. Thank you for being with us, and welcome to your first PGA Championship. We're glad to have you.

You played college golf down at Texas A & M, kind of this part of the world a little bit. Wonder if you had a chance to play any golf up in Oklahoma at all during your college days or maybe even over here at Southern Hills at all?

ADRI ARNAUS: No, I didn't get the chance to come to this beautiful golf course, and I believe we also didn't come up or at least I didn't come up to Oklahoma.

We were in the SEC conference, so we played a lot in Southeastern Florida, and also even in Southern California. Our schedule was wider, and yeah, we took a lot of planes. No, back in those days I didn't play around here.

This city reminds me a little bit of Texas, so it's like a familiar environment.

Q. When you looked at your calendar and saw that you were going to be here, what did you know about Southern Hills or what had you heard about it through the player grapevine?

ADRI ARNAUS: Well, you know, I heard that it was here and I could plan a little bit ahead, the first thing I did was just jump on YouTube and started watching videos.

I did watch those 63 shots that Tiger shot in the second round, I believe, and I found that the course was going to be spicy and you had to play really well. This course tells that, yeah, I knew I had to come with my "A" game.

Q. Beautiful is probably a good start, but can you describe the course for us, and what is going to be the key with your game on this course this week?

ADRI ARNAUS: Yeah, I think it's like a walk in the park. I don't think I've seen trees this tall in a golf course. It's quite impressive to see when you're walking down the fairway. There are not many trees, but the ones that are around the fairway, they are huge, and it makes it amazing to walk.

At the same time, it's a good challenge from the tees. Some of the tees set up a bit in a tricky way, let's just say that, and you really need to shape it both ways. The wind is going to be blowing.

With that said, I think it's a very complete golf course. Also hitting into the greens, as everyone has said, it's probably the most tricky part. Having so many slopes from back to the front, you always want to be hitting uphill and getting your putts as much as you can in Anna tacking position instead of a defending position.

I think we'll have to play very well.

Q. I understand your goal has been to come and play golf in America. You kind of got a taste of it at the U.S. Open, and then things went back, but now you're coming back strong. Can you talk about the process of what things that worked then you are recovering now and what things are working towards the future for you?

ADRI ARNAUS: Yeah, of course. At the end of the day I want to play with the best players in the world, and I believe they are here in the PGA Tour. It's always great. Gets me very pumped up when I find them next to me on the range and when I play with them in competition. That has always been the goal.

I did have a little bit of a bump there, but I believe pretty much everyone had some sort of complications with COVID time. We just gathered ourselves up and kept playing good golf and did a couple tricks here and there swing-wise, and strength-wise, physically I'm probably a bit stronger.

So yeah, we'll just say those are the main keys that allow me today to be here competing at a good level.

Q. Could you give me your impressions of the corner of the golf course where the second green, the third tee, the fifth green, the sixth tee, the sixth green, and the seventh tee are all within a pitching wedge of each other?

ADRI ARNAUS: Yeah, I would just say that those are the kind of things that I would call beautiful. I think it's a bit old school not to have them all like bunched up, and even some of the holes are crossing right next to the green having the green and the tee next to it.

I think that's what fascinates me about an old-school golf course, and we find this here. I feel like that makes it very, very pretty and very interesting for the spectators, as well. I think they're going to enjoy having so many shots happening in that spot, and for sure it's very well designed at the same time.

Q. I expect that everyone -- everyone I've talked to expects there will be backups. How slow will it be going through that area and what do you do when there are backups on the golf course?

ADRI ARNAUS: Yeah, exactly. That's another one. It might happen, especially on those sixth tee box and third tee box. But I think you've just got to make yourself comfortable and take it easy, just let everything go through, get a sip of water, and after that just refocus and hit your best shot that you can in that situation.

As I said, for spectators it's going to be an interesting point, so we're here to play the best golf we can, and yeah, that's all we can do.

Q. As you are learning more about this golf course, what did you think of the 17th hole and the risk-reward when the tee is up a little bit? You might be able to go for it. What are your initial thoughts about that hole?

ADRI ARNAUS: Yeah, I think it's fantastic. There are a few tee boxes that might move up in this golf course, so it gives us plenty to think of and to make decisions right on the spot. So that's one of them. Especially if the wind is blowing, you'll really have to pick a good line and put a good swing on it.

I think in my situation it would be probably like a no-brainer to go for it. I think if you get a chance to put it on the green, I think it's forgiving enough that if you hit a good shot you can put it on the green.

But I will say that long is not too good if the pin is long, so you always have to be mindful on what side of the green you're going to be. So yeah, probably be better on the fat side.