SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 12, 2023

Denny McCarthy

Waialae Country Club

Quick Quotes

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

DENNY McCARTHY: Pretty good to start the year. Game felt good coming in, but as I was just talking to PGA TOUR XM Radio, feels good, but you never now how the first round is going to go after month or two off.

Been working really hard and game felt in a good spot and just felt really comfortable out there today. Hit a lot of -- the fairways are firm and get a lot of crosswind, so you got to be precise off the tee, whether it's holding it up into the wind or working with the wind.

You got to be really precise. I did a really good job of that. Only missed a few shots today. Little upset about a couple of the six-footers I misses coming in. I also made a couple 20-, 25-footers today, so I guess that evened out a little bit.

Looking forward to getting out early in the morning on fresh greens and keep it rolling.

Q. What did you work on the most during your down time?

DENNY McCARTHY: My body and how my body moves in the golf swing pretty much. Just took a couple weeks off to rest, but then also getting back in the gym and just trying to get better. Just always trying to get better and trying to see -- you know, always trying to find ways to get better.

Worked really hard the last month or so getting ready for this big stretch of golf coming up. Yeah, just working on my body, how I'm moving in the golf swing.

Also didn't like how I putted in the fall and spent a good amount of time on my putting, too. Pretty much everything all around.

Q. You been at this for a little while now. You feel increasingly more comfortable and confident out on the PGA TOUR as each year passes?

DENNY McCARTHY: Yeah, for sure. I think a handful of tournaments last year, handful of big tournaments kind of solidified that I can play with the top players in the world and just how comfortable I felt in those big events. I felt like I belonged and it was a really good feeling to being be in to the mix in some of those bigger tournaments last year.

I'm really hungry. I want more of that. That's why I've put the work in. That's why we're out here. That's why we all put the work in. We want that feeling, that adrenaline rush, and to put ourselves in the mix on Sunday.

I'm a really competitive person and that's where I want to be.

Q. Those big tournaments what drive you the most?

DENNY McCARTHY: All of them do really. Yeah, I would say when you get that feeling in the bigger ones it's unmatched really. Even if I were to put myself in contention this week, I'm sure it would be a similar feeling to how I felt at the U.S. Open last year where I felt like I was in the mix a little.

I like that feeling. It's a nervous energy, but the adrenaline is up. I feel like I play better when the moment is big and I got the adrenaline going. Feel like it heightens my focus.

Q. How much are you prioritizing winning?

DENNY McCARTHY: I would like to. It's been on my mind for a while. Sometimes that's the hardest part. You want it so bad feel like it eats at you a little bit.

I don't know how many starts I've had out here. This is my sixth year out here. I've had some close calls but haven't really been there on 18 with a putt to win or a chance to win.

That drives me. I really want that. So I know that will come. If I just keep doing the things that I'm doing and stick to my process, I know that's going to come along.

Sometimes it's hard, it's frustrating, because I know it's there a lot of times and I put the work in. Sometimes you just don't get the result, and that's just part of it.

But if I just keep doing what I'm doing, stick to my process, I'll knock the door down someday.