THE 150TH OPEN

July 16, 2022

Kevin Kisner

Mixed Zone

Q. Just curious when you finish a round like that, what part of you is happy, and what part of you is disappointed?

KEVIN KISNER: I think it's all pretty happy making putts, not three-putting till the last hole after seven the last two days is pretty exciting.

It's just a fun place to stroll around and play golf, and when the putts are going in, it makes it even more enjoyable.

Q. You birdied 18 yesterday, didn't you?

KEVIN KISNER: I did.

Q. Was it a hard one?

KEVIN KISNER: A hard birdie? You knew you had to make birdie to make the cut, when I was standing on the tee and it was freezing cold. Grinding it out at 10:00 at night and then getting off at 8:45 this morning was a quick turnaround.

Q. How long a putt did you have yesterday?

KEVIN KISNER: For the birdie? Five feet probably.

Q. You've been so honest about majors and setups and how your game kind of translates. How does this one compare to the ones you've played in the past?

KEVIN KISNER: I can compete here for sure. When it's playing that firm and fast, length is not overly dominant need.

Didn't play great the first day at all, played better yesterday. But I strive my game on lag putting, and it's been atrocious the first two days and way better today. So obviously the score got way better.

Q. Do you think someone will take it even lower this afternoon?

KEVIN KISNER: I don't if the wind keeps picking up. It's starting to blow pretty good now, and 17's a par-5. So good luck there.

Q. You're sitting on the 1st tee this morning, what are you thinking?

KEVIN KISNER: How low can I hit a 3-iron, and how far can it go?

Q. On 17 just explain why -- for the uninitiated, why you aim so far left at 17?

KEVIN KISNER: Well, if you hit a perfect shot at pin high right, you can't putt it within 20 feet of the hole because of the slope at the back of the bunker. If you go out to the right and it goes over, you're dead.

I was worried if it went left and hit too firmly, it might run into the burn. So there's a lot going on back there. Then the fairway's pretty difficult to hit too, so good luck.

Q. What do you think about pin position today? Is it fair?

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, for sure. I think they're more flat around the hole today than any of the other two days. I had a lot of straight putts today where, if you got on the correct side of the hole, you can really make some putts.

Q. When you holed the putt on 8, was there any part of you that thinks this could be something special today?

KEVIN KISNER: I don't ever get that far ahead.

Q. We knew that.

KEVIN KISNER: I could drive it in the bunker on the next hole and make 6, and then all that's over.

So just trying to keep doing what I'm doing, hitting solid shots and holing a few putts. The bogey on 12 and the par on 18 will eat at me a little bit, but it was a heck of a day.

Q. What did you do for your second on 12?

KEVIN KISNER: I tried to bump it into the ridge and it got to the top and came all the way back.

Q. Is lag putting the most important thing to have dialed in this week?

KEVIN KISNER: Driving and lag putting for sure.

Q. How long was the putt on 8?

KEVIN KISNER: 100 feet, 90 feet. Went in like a thimble.

Q. Do you know what your lowest score in a major was before today?

KEVIN KISNER: No, sir, but I bet you do.

Q. I'm not going to tell you because you won't bother to look it up yourself.

KEVIN KISNER: (Laughter).

Q. (No microphone).

KEVIN KISNER: 65 now.

Q. Congratulations.

KEVIN KISNER: Thank you, sir.

Q. Do you feel when the wind changed it got a little bit harder this morning?

KEVIN KISNER: It didn't start blowing until about No. 14, 15. We played -- 12 and 13 and 14 all go the same direction. We played 12 off the left, 13 off the left, 14 off the right, 15 in. So it was changing dramatically.

Q. If you took yourself back to your early days on TOUR, whenever you went to the Deere, would you have taken your passport with you back when the Deere had a spot in The Open?

KEVIN KISNER: Probably not.

Q. I was just thinking along the lines of Trey missing.

KEVIN KISNER: He didn't have his either. He flew home.

Q. Short flight home, though.

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah.

Q. Is the firmness of the golf course pretty much the same as the first two days?

KEVIN KISNER: Maybe the greens are a little more receptive today. I don't know why but -- the green speeds were faster today and softer.

Q. Softer and faster?

KEVIN KISNER: It felt more like at home on the green speed for sure.

Q. Is it true to say that it took you two days to learn or remember how to play on this course?

KEVIN KISNER: Well, it's just so drastically different than 15. Not nearly as firm and wind opposite direction for the majority. You know it's crazy to walk by certain bunkers and go, I wonder why that bunker's there and then it switches and you hit it right in the middle of it.

Q. When did the wind start kind of showing itself as you were coming in?

KEVIN KISNER: We play a lot of hurt on 15 on the second shot, and then 16, 17, you could really feel it starting to blow. I hope it blows like 25.

Q. What are you going to do the rest of the day and night?

KEVIN KISNER: Might go fishing. Haddock are out there, I hear.

Q. Seriously?

KEVIN KISNER: No, I'm just kidding. (Laughter). I'll go play with you. Where do you want to go play?

Q. Here? Can you get us on Kingsbarns?

KEVIN KISNER: Thank you.