KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 28, 2022

Stephen Ames

Press Conference

Harbor Shores

JOHN DEVER: Welcome back to the 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship here at Harbor Shores. We are in Benton Harbor, Michigan. We are also with our 54-hole leader, Stephen Ames, who just posted a third round 67, 12-under par, two shots clear at this moment. Really solid round, Stephen, six birdies, just a single bogey. You have to feel good. Some tough pars down the stretch there to get you into the lead here.

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, I think overall it was -- I enjoyed the way I played, the way I handled myself, first of all. Second, I hit the ball right where I was looking at it all day, which was -- that helps, obviously. And again, I made some nice putts, which is obviously a key to shooting a good round on a major.

Overall it was a fun day besides the pace of play, but other than that, it was pretty good.

Q. You talked about the putting yesterday, and today it looked like you had a lot of those mid-range, 10, 12, and were knocking some nice putts down.

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, I did.

Q. What did that do confidence-wise?

STEPHEN AMES: Well, always good for the confidence, yeah, for sure. I think also the fact that when I had the long ones, I was cozying up nice and close and I wasn't getting the three- and four-footers for par. They were literally tap-ins which is nice. That helps. That's always the momentum killer if you have a three-putt from 30 feet. I was just keeping it in play and making those nice long putts really nice and close.

Like I said, overall, it's nice. That's the key, obviously, to shooting a good round, nice steady round. Didn't have myself in any kind of trouble or anything, not to really worry about. Overall it was a fun day, and nice that it was warm, too.

Q. What was it like last night sharing the lead with your housemate?

STEPHEN AMES: It was fun. Did you not see our Instagram post? We were barbecuing outside last night, so that was fun. It's normal. We all want each other to play well. Scotty didn't play well today, unfortunately, so I think we're going to go separate ways for dinner tonight.

Q. Are you fairly close to the course?

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, we're right behind by the inn there, the new houses that were built right there, so we rented one of those houses. It just worked out perfectly.

Q. Today's weather, a little bit more your cup of tea?

STEPHEN AMES: Slightly, yeah.

Q. What were the course conditions like out there after yesterday?

STEPHEN AMES: They're fairly wet out there still. You're getting a couple mud balls still. The ball is not rolling anywhere, so it advantages the guys who hit it further. Yeah, it played a little longer. I'm sure Bernhard himself probably mentioned that, that it did play long. But I think overall the conditions were fair. The pin positions were fairer than they were yesterday, funny enough. I think overall the golf course has played very nicely.

Q. Do you like being the guy that everybody is chasing going into the last day?

STEPHEN AMES: I don't like being the guy, period. It doesn't matter. Either way I look at it, I'm going to go out there and play my own game. I can't control what anybody else is doing. The only thing I can control is myself, so I'm going to try and keep my emotions the way they are right now and play golf, and if it comes out, it comes out.

Q. We've got a pack behind you that includes a Masters champion --

STEPHEN AMES: Two Masters champions.

Q. Two Masters champions, that's accurate, the defending champion and the hottest player on Tour, so you're going to have to play some good golf tomorrow. That's the plan, right?

STEPHEN AMES: Well, that's the plan, obviously. Did you expect anything else out here. We've got a lot of good players out here on the Tour now. I'm one of the older ones along with Bernhard. The younger guys behind us are just coming on Tour, so yeah, you expect that to be the case. Like I said, it's my show and my show to control, and that's what I'm going to try to do tomorrow.

Q. What's it like playing with Bernhard?

STEPHEN AMES: Slow, slow and slow. He's a wonderful person. There is great character on and off the golf course. He understands. He knows he's slow. He can't help it. Sometimes he can, sometimes he doesn't. But at the same time, you have to respect him for what he's achieved over the years, and he's a wonderful player, too.

Q. And he grinds.

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, I would say Padraig is probably the ultimate grinder compared to Bernhard, but I think Bernhard is just Mr. Steady Eddie, middle of the fairway, middle of the green and hopefully he makes a putt. He's always been like that.

Q. Would you look at your ball-striking this week and feel it's allowed you to really stay aggressive out there?

STEPHEN AMES: I wouldn't say aggressive is a word that I'm familiar with. I tend to be a little bit more conservative in some respects. I think there are times where aggression can get you in trouble more than being conservative. I think the ultimate conservative would be Mr. Nicklaus himself, 17, 18 greens, and I would say I'm pretty much that kind of model, take the 20- and 25-footers left rather than going at the flag that's sitting behind a bunker. I would think that that's me more than anything else.

Q. Just greens and --

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, give yourself more opportunities, the more opportunities you have. I look at the numbers, you make 18 fairways or 14 fairways, 18 greens, you have 18 opportunities for birdies. You're going to make some. Not every number is going to be perfect for your club, particular club. When that club is correct, then there are times where you can a little more aggressive but not to the extent where you're going at it.

Q. A couple other guys mentioned about the wind tomorrow possibly being a factor. Is there any concern with that tomorrow, coming into tomorrow, along with the possibility of fatigue on the final 18?

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, I think the wind is actually opposite tomorrow. It's from the south. So you're going to get one down, two down, three off the left. A lot of holes are going to play completely different. Funny enough, the harder holes are actually going to play easier, so the ones coming off the lake are going to be a little easier, like 7. 7 is an example. 6 is going to be a little different. 18 is going to be down. It's a different golf course. But the par-5s are what's going to play different because they're all going to be back into the wind.

Q. What about that fatigue, any concern there?

STEPHEN AMES: No, not for me. I think I'm pretty fit, ready to go. Going to have a nice rest tonight and go from there. I'm off later tomorrow, so it gives me more time to recoup.

Q. You've been playing out here as a professional for 25, 30 years. We can do the math. How are you as a frontrunner through the course of time? Is that a role you relish?

STEPHEN AMES: Good question. I haven't looked at it, to be honest. I think the only time I was a frontrunner and won by a few was '06 PLAYERS, in front by one and won by six. I think that's the only opportunity I've had, frontrunner.

Q. Are you going to draw off of anything from '06?

STEPHEN AMES: No. I'm in a nice mindset right now with my head, and I'm going to stick with that routine that I've been doing. At the moment right now there's no chitchat or whatsoever going on upstairs, which is what you need to do when you're playing golf. If you want to be -- get your subconscious to do the work and the conscious mind just enjoy it, which is what I've done this week.