SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 29, 2022

Nick Taylor

Country Club of Jackson

Press Conference

Q. Nick, how would you characterize the round today?

NICK TAYLOR: It was really solid. The front nine especially. Hit, I think, maybe every green.

Back nine missed a few. Made a couple of decent up-and-downs. Just hit in the wrong spot a little bit and didn't drive it as well.

Putted, I fell like I made a lot of putts. Especially the ones you want to make when you take advantage of a good iron shot. Yeah, it was just a solid day tee-to-green.

Q. What was the biggest challenge playing early this morning with the chilly conditions?

NICK TAYLOR: It was cold. The wind was obviously up a little bit, and the greens were quick. This is probably the fastest I've seen them since the first few years we had the event here.

I prefer fast greens, so I think it makes it a bit trickier. The wind obviously makes it tricky, but I think the direction as well. Usually we kind of get a south wind here, and it's going to be north all week.

All the par-5s are kind of into the wind. The last three holes will play a bit easier because it's helping off the right, but it makes the scoring holes tougher, so I think that's why the scores aren't too low.

Q. Obviously, the second event of the season. Do you kind of set goals? Do you work on goals, or are you more a process-oriented kind of player?

NICK TAYLOR: A bit of both. It was nice to have a good result in Napa. I felt like my game was trending in that direction, but until you see results, it's tough to kind of get that confidence going.

Yeah, I did some good work in the offseason to kind of narrow down what I really wanted to work on swing-wise, so when I come out here I'm not guessing or working on things when I'm at tournaments. That's been helpful, and the results are nice that it's showing too.

Q. What were the big things you decided you needed to work on?

NICK TAYLOR: Narrowing down a few setup things. A bit of the back swing. A lot of it's been working on my rhythm out on the golf course. I could see it get quick out there, so narrowing it down to being that focus, it felt like it's been pretty good.

Q. When you think about your first PGA TOUR title here, does it feel like eight years ago, or how long ago does that feel when you think back to it?

NICK TAYLOR: Yes and no. It's hard to imagine this is my ninth year on tour, and this has been eight years ago. It was such a whirlwind of a few months back then, so to look back, it's awesome. Again, the conditions this week remind me a lot of that week.

It was a bit later in the year then, but yeah, yes and no. It's amazing it's been eight years, but it doesn't feel that long ago at times as well.

Q. Is there any element like this type of weather, does it almost give you a little more comfort zone having grown up in -- not that it's as cold as it could get, but in that realm?

NICK TAYLOR: I like the trickiness with the wind. 5- or 6-under will probably be leading after today, so I would prefer that rather than an 8 or 9 typically. I like that you have to put it in the right spots, and the greens being fast, I definitely prefer that as well.

This morning definitely felt like a nice chilly Autumn day back home.

Q. How did you spend last week? Did you watch in the Presidents Cup?

NICK TAYLOR: I watched a bit, yeah. I watched a lot on Saturday. That was definitely something I wish I was out there trying to help the guys. I went to a lot of the dinners with Trevor Immelman and the team.

It's motivation for a couple of years being in Canada, so I think that's definitely on my list. It's pretty far away now, but it was fun watching, knowing a lot of guys on the team, and hoping I can be there in a couple of years.

Q. What was your favorite shot or moment from today?

NICK TAYLOR: I made a really nice putt on 9 for birdie, but I made a couple of nice recoveries on 17, 18. I didn't capitalize with the par on 18, but not great drives. I hit good shots up around the greens, and I was able to have a par and a bogey. It was really good tee-to-green for the most part.