BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

August 18, 2022

Harold Varner

Wilmington Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. How would you assess the round today?

HAROLD VARNER III: Oh, it was good. I've played so bad lately. Just was super determined to just get something going. I put good work in last week with Butch, and yeah, it's been good.

Q. Is there anything specific you guys worked on?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, it's the same thing. I just wasn't doing it. It's just hard for him to see it from a video sometimes, and obviously he's not traveling, and I don't mind traveling, so it was good to see him, just get some confidence. I hit a lot of golf balls, probably the most golf balls I've hit in a long time. I hate hitting golf balls.

Q. You always talk about it's not just what Butch does with your swing but also just mentally. Did he instill some confidence?

HAROLD VARNER III: No, it was all physical this time. I totally agree with your statements, but it was definitely physical. I was doing something that actually I felt like I've never done, but it is what it is. I know where the golf ball is going right now, have a pretty good idea, and I'm pretty determined to make it to East Lake, and there's only one way to get there, and that's to play well.

Q. Routine eagle there?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, I thought it was going to be long of the hole. I was getting out of the bunker and everyone went nuts. I tried to acknowledge everyone, and my head was stuck in -- I was trying to get out of the bunker and almost fell. Yeah, that was awesome.

Super weird how fast it's playing, the fairways, because I guess I played the front nine on Tuesday and the ball wasn't going -- I didn't get to the bunker on No. 1, and then I get up there and I hit it further right and it goes almost in the bunker. I'm like, all right, it's playing a little different.

Q. It looked like your ability to spin back helped a lot, especially on your uphill shots.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, it wasn't on purpose. Probably not on purpose. The pins were in positions where you didn't really have to spin it much. I don't spin the ball a lot.

Yeah, and then I capitalized, though. You hit them in there and get a little lucky, it gets in there close enough where you have a good look, and I was fortunate enough to make a few putts, except on 18. I was reminded of that.

Q. You were driving great --

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah.

Q. You hardly missed a fairway.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, I mean, that's what you expect. You want to play good golf, and that's what you work to do. It's not like I'm surprised that all of a sudden I hit it good, or well. I know I can do that, I just haven't done it in the last two weeks.

Q. Alex showed you what trouble you can get into; on the hole you made the eagle, he only was able to advance the ball 100 yards on the second shot.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah that was compound interest, though. He hit it in the rough and then hit it in the rough again. Just get it out.

Q. This is a new course for almost everyone in the field. What have you learned or what did you learn the first few days that allowed you to shoot the score that you did today?

HAROLD VARNER III: The coolest thing for me is I like seeing different places and I had never been to Delaware. But when I first came out here I thought par was going to be a good score because the greens were so firm. Obviously driving it, you've got to hit it in the fairway to be able to get it close because perfect example is No. 9. It's into the wind, it's 400 however long. If you hit it in the rough you probably can't even get it to the green. Just getting it in the fairway is going to be kicker, I think, the whole week, especially if it doesn't rain.