THE 150TH OPEN

July 16, 2022

Scott Herald

Mixed Zone

Q. Richard, how do you reflect on the round?

RICHARD MANSELL: Like I said to you yesterday, I felt like I found something on the back nine. And happy to make the cut on the number with a couple of good putts coming in and got off -- I played some really good golf on the front nine. Could have been 5 or 6 quite easily.

Missed a couple of putts, just shy of speed. But then, yeah, managed to keep it going. There's some really tough pins out there.

Q. Whereabouts?

RICHARD MANSELL: 17, behind the bunker, and I don't think you're going to see many pars there today. 12 is unbelievably tough. 11's behind the bunker. So there's just -- 10 is on like these little domes.

There's little things you've got to get right and there's birdies to be made, but it's quite easy to get it wrong as well. Obviously to shoot a good score, it could have been better. But I'm happy with how the day's gone.

Q. Was the highlight 9?

RICHARD MANSELL: Yeah, like I say, I missed a couple of seven, eight-footers for birdie couple holes before that. So to hole a 40-footer for eagle capped off a good solid front nine. Like I say, to carry on was good.

Q. What score do you think is out there, for somebody who is hot with the driver?

RICHARD MANSELL: You look at Kisner behind. He was 7-under quite early, through 10 and 11. That's what I felt I could have been. He's obviously knocked the putts in, but then there's still some tough pins coming in. And it's still there, but you've still got to go and do it.

I think a little bit of wind might get up now. I don't know. I'm hoping it does. But I think if you shoot 6, 7 today, you're going to be pretty happy.

Q. I know you're focusing on what you're doing on the course, but do you try to take in the occasion and savor here being on a Saturday here in The Open?

RICHARD MANSELL: Absolutely. That's why knocking in the putt on 17 meant so much yesterday. I've never reacted like that when I've made a cut before. It's just you want to be here.

It's not even the fact -- it's not about money. It's nothing like that. It's just you want to play two more rounds in the 150th Open at St Andrews. That's what you dream of as a kid. Obviously to do that and get that chance, I'm really grateful for. And I'm happy that I've been able to play good today and move forward.

Q. How do you feel where you are in your career?

RICHARD MANSELL: I feel like it's very much on the up. It's been quite a whirlwind few years for me. Obviously I was playing EuroPro three years ago, four years ago, I don't know. COVID has kind of made me forget time. Then Challenge Tour and then second year on Tour now. Last year I've played three majors.

Like I say, I haven't won on Tour yet but I don't feel too far away from doing it. Like I say I'm playing the weekend in a major, and on Saturday I will have gone forward. I'm happy that I'm progressing, and that's what I plan to keep doing.

Q. COVID time a difficult one for you?

RICHARD MANSELL: I think it was more just came at a point in my career when I was really playing some good stuff, and it just halted it a little bit.

I got a bit unlucky playing Challenge Tour and finishing where I did, but getting in the category I did on the main tour did screw me over a little bit with some of the starts I would have gotten, and it made me finish further down the list last year than I probably deserved to be.

So like I say, I was happy this year that I've come out and played better, and now I'm just hoping to kick on.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

RICHARD MANSELL: Absolutely, yeah. There's no point dwelling on it. There was worse things going on in the world at the time. That was my attitude towards it all. We were grateful to be playing golf, which is the main thing. Like I say, it's now just really focus on staying in the present and keep going forward.

RICHARD MANSELL:

Q. How was that?

SCOTT HERALD: Excellent. Very enjoyable. A little bit nervous to begin with. But kind of managed myself to get in it and calmed down and really enjoyed it afterward.

Q. It's always going to be a nervy occasion?

SCOTT HERALD: Yes.

Q. Especially here?

SCOTT HERALD: 100 percent. I think I've stood on that 1st tee, I don't know how many times now over my career here at St Andrews. But definitely special. Goosebumps, really.

Q. The tee on the right?

SCOTT HERALD: It was a wee bit. I was meaning to go up the right-hand side. I saw the pin was kind of back left. I knew I had to go that way. I didn't quite catch it.

Couple of nervy swings early on, just kind of advance it. Forward once I got into the middle of the round made like, maybe three birdie five holes in the middle of the round. Start to get a few very good. It was great.

Q. Birdie the finish?

SCOTT HERALD: Birdied the last to finish. It was always nice to do that. Feels special.

Q. When did you get the call?

SCOTT HERALD: The official call, last evening. I was obviously sitting watching the leaderboard yesterday. I kind of knew it was there or thereabouts. Sort of go -- and Richard, I was playing with today, he today made a brilliant par 17 to basically get himself in, which kept me in and got me the call.

Q. You obviously tried to qualify yourself. So to get here eventually is nice.

SCOTT HERALD: It's a ridiculous story, to be fair. Like tried to qualify. R&A were very kind. I went and filled out the documentary series with them as a professional here.

Actually did quite -- I felt I played quite nicely at qualifying. Didn't make it through. And then to be asked to be the marker, it was such an honour. Brilliant.

Q. How long you've been here and --

SCOTT HERALD: I'm from Glasgow originally. Been in St Andrews now for eight years. Been a senior instructor the last four, five years, and it's home now.

My wife actually works for the same company. She actually does the retail tent for The Open. So ironically it's a massive week for her. And usually for me it's just a stay at home and do what you do at home, and all of a sudden it feels pretty special.

Q. What's her name?

SCOTT HERALD: Mairi Herald, M-a-i-r-i.

Q. You've played some of these events?

SCOTT HERALD: I've been a pro going on 14 years, probably. When I started, I was EuroPro, PGA Region, played some Paul Lawrie stuff, started this year.

And I knew last year that with the situation of the tented village being on our outfield, basically our range shuts for three months to the public. I knew that was going to affect me. So I kind of planned a little bit to try and play a bit more this year.

Fortunate enough last year, I did PGA Region, I came like 18th order of merit, got me into basically all the pro-ams and all the stuff this year. It's kept me ticking over.

Q. Felt like a lifetime today in many ways?

SCOTT HERALD: Surreal, to be honest, to go for qualifying. Main focus was having the relaxation of the week, to then the high of knowing that I was going to play today, to then the real nerves of I'm going to play today.

And then just once I got into the round I actually felt, I can do this. And it was -- but it's surreal, unbelievable at the same time.

Q. How old are you?

SCOTT HERALD: 35. 25, used to be.

Q. Same position maybe tomorrow. Have you got the chance again?

SCOTT HERALD: I've been told just to hang on and wait and see, as long as nobody pulls out, then I'll be required again, I guess, first thing tomorrow morning. I think that will be nice. I'll probably hopefully feel a little bit more at ease.

It's the little things actually of picking up your accreditation this morning, learning the players lounge, learning what you can do on the range, blah, blah, blah. And then all of a sudden being the first on the 1st tee. At least I'll know tomorrow where I am and so on.