KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 26, 2022

Paul Claxton

Press Conference

Harbor Shores

JOHN DEVER: 65, terrific round. Maybe start with your initial thoughts putting such a number up there in a major championship.

PAUL CLAXTON: I got off to a good start today. Birdied the first three holes and had a great front nine and the momentum just built from there. Hit a lot of good shots. Kept the ball in play. Made a few putts. Chipped the ball in so I had some good things that happened early.

So kind of got me off to a good start. Had a great pairing playing with some friends of mine, and it was all in all a real good day.

Q. Can you take us through the fast start?

PAUL CLAXTON: I hit a 9-iron into No. 1 about six feet and made it for birdie.

On No. 2 hit a 7-iron. Made probably a 40-footer on No. 2.

Then No. 3, I hit a little gap wedge in to No. 3 about a foot from the hole. So it was, you know, made the one long putt on 2 but it was just a real fast start and the momentum started building from there.

Q. You talked about when you won last fall to get here, the putter was really a hot club for you. When you make that putt on 2, what's that do for you momentum-wise?

PAUL CLAXTON: I felt like I had good speed. My speed was real good today. I had some long putts and I was able to two-putt. I think that really, when your speed is good, I think you know, all right, you've got a good chance to make putts that day.

For some reason, I just felt good with the putter and speed was good, and the hole got in the way a few times.

Q. What was your chip-in?

PAUL CLAXTON: I chipped in on No. 7. I hit a good 6-iron in there and it ran through the back fringe. I was trying to hit it to about a foot and just happened to come out just right and rolled right in, probably six feet. Real short shot.

Q. The back nine was a really clean scorecard and that's major championship golf, just to give yourself a jump start, must feel good to take that and run with to not let the momentum from the front deconstruct itself?

PAUL CLAXTON: I've all tried to play one shot at a time and not get too far ahead of myself. I know we've got some weather coming in and a long way to go. We were fortunate today, the wind laid down and the scoring was good today.

Q. Do you feel you made a statement as one of the club pros in the field?

PAUL CLAXTON: We know it's a long way to the finish line and we know there's a lot of really good players out there. I don't have the reps under my belt. These other guys have been playing every day and I've been working. Just going to enjoy today and not worry about the rest of the way. It would be nice if I could keep it up but I know how golf is, and I know how good these guys are, so I'm just very fortunate to be here and just going to enjoy it.

Q. I know you had quite the career as a touring professional on the Nationwide Tour. What keeps you motivated in these events?

PAUL CLAXTON: I still enjoy playing, and I played some of the section events in the State of Georgia and I played a few of the national events that the club pros had. I'm somewhat competitive but not to the level of these guys out here. I feel like it was a good day for me and I'm not going to read more into it than that. I'm just going to enjoy it and hopefully tomorrow we'll get a break with the rain and hopefully I can hold things together.

JOHN DEVER: You're looking at this event, might have been on your calendar for six months or so, when do you start practicing? I know you've got a job but when did you start to really begin to modify and think about this event and practicing?

PAUL CLAXTON: To be honest, we're so busy at work right now, people are playing more golf than ever. I haven't practiced and the members at home will tell you, they keep telling me, you need to practice. I teach a lot so I'm giving a lot of lessons and it's very difficult when you're running a facility to play and practice as much as you need to.

But I feel fortunate that they do allow me to play when I need to play, and I've got a very good group of members and they enjoy seeing me get out and play.

JOHN DEVER: You do everything at your club, don't you?

PAUL CLAXTON: Yes, I have some help but I do the teaching and I run the tournaments. But I do have some good help and I'm fortunate to be able to get away for a whole week and know everything at the club is going to be there when I come back.

Q. Did you take notice of Bob Sowards last year?

PAUL CLAXTON: Yes, Bob is a very good player and he's got the ability to be out here playing with these guys. It's very difficult, there's only five spots every year to get out here on the Champions Tour and I feel like there's a lot of guys like me that still play decent if they were to have that one good week, you know, we could be out here, too. But it just hasn't happened for me and I think Bob falls in that category, he could be here playing every week very easily.