U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2022

Steven Alker

Saucon Valley C.C. (Old Course)

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Steven Alker, 4-under 67, round of the day so far. What was working well for you?

STEVEN ALKER: Well, I don't know if was round of the day. I had to watch Miguel shoot 64 today.

Yeah, the putter was working much better today. I was a little bit scrappy in places, but the putter looked after me today.

I had some nice iron shots on the front nine and just got some momentum early on, so it was good. Then lost momentum during the round and then got it back again.

It was a bit topsy turvy, but the putter, I was pleased with that.

Q. What have you learned the first two rounds that's going to carry into the weekend?

STEVEN ALKER: Just more fairways and greens. You've just got to do it around this place because otherwise you struggle.

We had a little more wind today. It was kind of all over the place. I learned that the winds just kind of switch around. We had wind on the back nine from all over the place, so that was tricky.

Yeah, it's just all out in front of you. You've just got to golf your ball, yeah.

Q. What turned things around for you yesterday after that rough start? Anything in particular?

STEVEN ALKER: No, not really. I was happy with my warmup and everything. I just hit a sloppy double on, what, 5 yesterday.

Then just kind of just knuckled down, steadied the ship, and then made a couple putts on the back nine, and that was the difference. Didn't do anything different. Didn't feel anything different.

Q. Was it easy to shake that off? Like today, 18 you double, and then you come back and string three in a row.

STEVEN ALKER: Yeah, I don't know how I did that actually. Yeah, I wasn't happy. My caddie just said, okay, let's go. We got a new nine.

It's probably a good thing it was a new nine, because you go into a new nine, okay, here we go. I had a par-5 too, which I hit on in two, which was nice.

Yeah, I just steadied the ship and made some nice shots there, and just probably got a little bit unlucky to not make a couple coming in as well.

Q. Steven, having won a senior major title, what will you take from that experience having gone through that situation into the weekend?

STEVEN ALKER: Just maybe a little more patience. It doesn't have to be perfect to get it done. Yeah, just kind of hang in there. I've only had two doubles this week, so doubles are not good, but end of the day, it's not going to derail you.

We're only two rounds in, so it's not the end of the world. Just plenty of patience and hit lots of fairways and greens.