KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 26, 2022

Alex Cejka

Press Conference

Harbor Shores

JOHN DEVER: Good afternoon and welcome back to the 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores. We are joined by defending champion Alex Cejka. Opened with a 68 today so more good play.

I've got four birdies down here, including back-to-backs on 10 and 11. Tell us about your round.

ALEX CEJKA: I played pretty solid all day. I drove it well. I gave me a lot of opportunities. I three-putted the third hole, that's the only kind of big mistake I made. But then had great birdies as you said on 10, 11, I reached a green on 10, just over green and made a great up-and-down on 11, I hit it pretty close.

I had a couple chances afterwards, too, but those greens are tricky. I'm happy. My goal was to be under par and I'm not far from the lead. So far, it's looking good.

Q. What's it like to try and learn this place, learn the green complexes and do is all pretty quickly

ALEX CEJKA: The first time I saw it, I was a little overwhelmed, a little afraid, intimidated. But the more you keep playing, you make yourself a little bit a plan, if the pin is there, you can't miss it here, you've got to miss it there. I did it pretty well today.

Also, the warm weather today, the ball is flying better than when you have 50 degrees, but it was still windy. You still have to make great shots but overall, it was nice to play, yeah. Fair.

JOHN DEVER: You birdied 8, a few birdies but also some big numbers. If you can talk about that hole.

ALEX CEJKA: Which one is 8 again?

JOHN DEVER: We can skip that question.

Q. What did you hit in at 11?

ALEX CEJKA: 11, I hit a hard pitching wedge. I was going to hit a 9-iron but the wind was at the moment pretty strong. So I hit a strong pitching wedge and right distance, pitched perfectly, pin-high and spun to the hole. The pin location was tricky just past the ridge so you don't want to be short. But it was great shot.

Q. How long of a putt?

ALEX CEJKA: One foot.

Q. And does that hole remind of you The Postage Stamp in some ways, when you are standing up there and looking down at it?

ALEX CEJKA: Yeah, it's some -- not only that hole but just some of the holes where you have that strong elevation here. But you're focusing on different things when you play.

Q. Do you have a goal of where you wanted to sit on the leaderboard to defend your title?

ALEX CEJKA: Well, No. 1 goal is to shoot under par. Of course I don't want to be too far behind. I didn't want to be 1-under or even, and the leader 6-, 7-, 8-under.

So far, I'm pretty close. You know, there's still half of a field going out right now. It's still great weather. Looks like it's not going to rain. So there is a lot of great opportunities. But you know, you still have to hit good shots and there's a couple guys with 4-under par. That's a good score.

Q. It doesn't take any strokes off your score but when you stand on the first tee here as defending champion, must be a pretty prideful moment.

ALEX CEJKA: Yes. Yes, it was, you know, every time you defend, it's a special feeling when you come back and they announce you as a defending champion. You know, brings great memories, even if it's a different track, but it's the same tournament.

And you know, I have a good feeling, good vibe. I'm playing great. And it was really nice to hear it in the morning at 8:15, like defending champion. So yeah, it's nice.

Q. What's your outlook moving forward the remaining three days to kind of stay in the hunt here?

ALEX CEJKA: You've got to drive it well. That's what I did today. My goal is just to find a lot of fairways. If I find a lot of fairways, I can attack the pins. You know, again, it's who makes more birdies or more putts. This week it's a little bit tricky but I've seen it today with my playing partners. They were making putts. Even when they are tricky, it's doable.

It all depends on the weather the next couple days. If we have weather like this -- the last couple years it was here, it was low scoring. So you've got to try to shoot every day between 3 and 4 to, I think, have a great chance on Sunday.

Q. Speaking about the past, after not having it in 2020 year, what are your thoughts on being anxious to be here bring this event to the community in Benton Harbor?

ALEX CEJKA: I haven't been here in the past. Some guys played here a couple times before. That was my first time playing here, like today in the tournament. I was here a couple months ago for the first time to get a feel for it. But it was totally different. It was almost snow on the ground. So everything was shut down, nobody was in town. So it was a little bit dead like 2 1/2 months ago.

This time when I drove into town, I see a lot of people coming back here and already staying in their homes and getting ready for the summer. You know, it was a little bit more life than when I was here a couple months ago. But it was great. I got to tour around the community and got to see how it was before, like in the old pictures now. It's pretty impressive what was done over the last couple years.

Q. I just want to ask about how have the fans been so far and how nice is it to see the full crowd and have everybody cheering you on like that?

ALEX CEJKA: Yes, we've seen a lot of people already, and they are cheering and not -- they are cheering for everybody, what I've noticed, so we hear a couple roars here and there. It's nice that they come out and support us.

JOHN DEVER: Thanks so much for the time. We'll quiz you when you birdie 8 tomorrow and you can give us a full review of the hole.

ALEX CEJKA: I don't even remember what 8 is.

JOHN DEVER: Well, tomorrow, your quiz is coming.

ALEX CEJKA: I'll think about it.

JOHN DEVER: Thank you.