PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 19, 2022

Matt Kuchar

Southern Hills Country Club

Flash Quotes

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon. Welcome back to the 2022 PGA Championship here at Southern Hills Country Club. We are joined by Matt Kuchar, who opened with a 3-under par 67. A little adversity early, then you kind of smoothed it out and put forth a round to feel good about.

MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, there were some tough pins on the front nine. I think each hole, even if you hit the green, you were just hoping to two-putt on a number of those pin locations on the front.

I got fortunate. I made a bunker shot on the 9th, was looking like I was going to make bogey there, walked off with birdie, and after that played some really good golf on the back nine and pleased to be in at 3-under par.

Q. You've been playing a lot better the last couple months. What's been clicking and what's been the difference from last year?

MATT KUCHAR: Extra time with Chris O'Connell. Always seems to be a big help. Part of my kind of buildup process to the PGA was playing last week at Byron Nelson. That's an extra week in Dallas, extra week with my coach, Chris. We've just been getting back to some things that are really clicking. I think Chris's instruction, he's always trying to make things better, and we kind of work towards the same goal but figure out some new ways to say some things, and it's been quite helpful.

Q. 18 here has historically played really tough, particularly on Sundays. I'm curious your thoughts on that hole and what it could be like on Sunday, especially if the wind is blowing.

MATT KUCHAR: I have to think the members must dread 18. I try to envision how they play it. I don't know that they can tee off enough forward to enjoy that golf hole.

It's hard. It's a beast. I saw Cameron Davis in my group thought hit a perfect drive, bounced down into the creek. Didn't go in the water, just played from the rough.

It's a tough driving hole, and then certainly having 200 yards kind of straight uphill is an awfully challenging approach shot. It's a tough one. It gives you some little benefit with the green having the two tiers and kind of some collection areas to hold some of those shots. I come in with a 5-iron, and my 5-iron is not landing very softly, I assure you. It's a tough one to control that distance and how the ball rolls out.