SENTRY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 5, 2023

Jon Rahm

Plantation Course at Kapalua

Quick Quotes

Q. Is 33-, 34-under in play this week?

JON RAHM: (Laughing.) If we have as little wind as we had today, yes, I would say so. Maybe not that much, but we should approach 30-under, yeah.

Q. Is your mindset any different when you're that far under par and you feel like you have to keep making birdies just to keep pace?

JON RAHM: No, you just go out there and keep doing it. Luckily there's a stretch of this golf course from 12 on where you can give yourself a really good birdie look on every single one of the holes. Maybe not on 17 because that tee shot, the second shot can be tricky. But 12 through 16 you really should be taking advantage of those holes, right? And on the front nine, you can also, you can do it. I think sometimes the toughest stretch is 1 through 4, and then 5 through 9 you see a lot of people make birdies.

You just have to take advantage. We've seen it every year, and I've been able to do it where you start making birdies and you have to keep just putting your foot on the gas because somebody else is doing it and you just have to do it.

Q. It's like, what 7,700 yards, what do you feel like this course plays like?

JON RAHM: Well, this is the firmest I've seen it and not even -- I don't even know what to say to that because it plays very short. I mean, if I'm hitting good tee shots and using the driver, maybe on 3 and 4 if it's windy you'll have more than a 9-iron in. Besides that, it's all wedge shots.

I can't really, it's driver, wedge for the most part all day, especially when there's not wind like this. So with greens being receptive and rolling as well as they are, you have to shoot low.

Q. We always hear firm and fast conditions together. Is this more fast than firm?

JON RAHM: It's not firm. I would say it's fast, yeah. Obviously with the slopes you have out here, you don't need it to be too firm for the ball to release a lot. And again, I think the key part is greens last year were great. They're even better this year. They're rolling amazing. But they're still receptive. So you can take aggressive lines and go for some of those pins because you know the ball's going to stop and you're going to have a really good look at it.

Q. What did you hit into 5?

JON RAHM: 6-iron. That's a par-5 too. I mean, 6-iron into that, 6-iron into 15, 4-iron into 18.

Q. What was your best shot of the day?

JON RAHM: I think I would say -- I made a lot of good swings out there, but I would say the putt on 10. After somehow leaving a 6-footer short and not hitting my best shots on 9, to come back and make that 20-footer was a big thing.

Q. What did you do on 9?

JON RAHM: I just hit it right. Got a lucky bounce.

Q. Which club?

JON RAHM: Oh, with the driver. Then right. Then 5-wood long left. Hit a great chip shot and left a 6-footer short.

Q. Did you hit a fairway metal on a par-5 today?

JON RAHM: Yeah, I don't think you can possibly hit an iron into 9. That's the only one.

On 15 I got it all the way down there, yeah. I hit some good tee shots. A couple long ones out there.

Q. Do you feel like you have some unfinished business at this tournament after coming so close this year?

JON RAHM: I can make a case for that on a lot of golf courses. I can't say much, man, I shot 33-under. I got beat by 34-under. Period. That's just what it is. We both played really good golf. It was a great battle. Hopefully, if we get to that point again, hopefully it's me and hopefully I end up on the win, winning by one.