THE 150TH OPEN

July 15, 2022

Dylan Frittelli

Mixed Zone

Q. Interesting start to the round today. How did things go overall?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: I was happy with the way I played. I was one inch away from having a tap-in birdie on No. 1 and made double. One swing there felt really good and ended up an inch short, kind of screwed my start.

From there I knuckled down and played well and then faltered through the middle of the round and played well through the last six holes.

Q. Margins are small, aren't they?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: They're big in some places and small in others. I tried to drive the 7th green as well and ended up in a tiny little bunker. If it didn't get in that bunker, it would have been 20, 30, 40 feet for eagle. So little things like that -- I've had a lot of luck. I shouldn't say that I was unlucky today because I had a lot of good bounces too. It's fun playing this course, and those are the things you have to deal with.

Q. A little rain this morning, was the course different at all?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: A little slow, fairways probably running 15, 20 on the stimpmeter, twice as fast as the greens. But a little softer so more playable. Wind was less this evening than I had in the morning yesterday. 1-under wasn't too bad, but I was definitely looking to shoot 3, 4, 5-under in those conditions.

Q. Generally there seems to be a good and bad side of the draw. Harder to tell this Open Championship, which side that is. Is there a good and a bad side?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: You'd have to get a statistician to say which side. There's no one side. There's earlyish, latish, middle and later.

I definitely felt it was easier coming down those last five, six holes. The wind died off a little bit. Greens weren't as quick as they were yesterday. I figure I probably had a decent side of the draw.

Q. Pretty tough stretch coming in. Is there a tougher part of the course?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Not really. I think once you get to 12, you kind of are like, okay, here we go. Like I've got to hit a good tee shot here. And you've got 14, you've got to put it in play. Birdie opportunity. If you don't make birdie, you're worried. All those holes coming in, out of bounds right. And you have some issues going on around the greens.

You think, okay, par is good. If I make birdie, if I have a good chance at birdie, that's a bonus. 18 is saving grace. You can steal one there. That always tastes pretty sweet.

Q. Tomorrow, what's the game plan?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Go as low as I can. Going to be way back now. Go out in the morning, try to knock down all the pins and make every putt I look at. Try to shoot 6-, 7-under. I don't know what the weather looks like. I'll check that, I'll readjust my goals if there's some tough weather.

Q. Series decider as well with Springboks. Have you been following the series against Wales?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: I have. Last week was really disappointing. I didn't catch the first game. Was in the States. Timing didn't work out. Second game I watched when I was in Scotland. Feel like I'm bad luck. Maybe I need to stay away and not watch it. I'll definitely have enough time to get back to the room and watch it. But hopefully the Boks can get it done tomorrow.