SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 14, 2023

Will Gordon

Waialae Country Club

Quick Quotes

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

WILL GORDON: Played really nice for most of the first 15, 16 holes. Made a bad club decision on 16 and that kind of started getting the wheels moving a little bit fast, so we got a lot to learn about what happened in the last 45 minutes.

Try to take that and learn from it, but overall it was a really good day. I hadn't hit it great the first two days, and hit it really solid the first, like I said, 14 holes.

Q. What was the bad decision?

WILL GORDON: We went with a club, went with a 2-iron instead of 3-wood. I pulled it probably seven or eight yards. On that line with that club it puts you in kind of a dust zone and I made bogey from there. And luckily didn't compound the mistake and make a double.

Just trying to learn that, that when things get moving a little bit fast trying to be on the right side. Didn't hit a great tee ball on 18. Same sort of deal.

So we just got a lot to learn from that kind of situation, but a lot of positives from today.

Q. You said you didn't hit the ball that well. What kind of changed today?

WILL GORDON: You know, just trying to revisit the tendencies I know I get going when I'm starting to hit it bad. I tried to not overcomplicate it and just keep it simple and try to stay really level with my posture and keep my lower body a little bit more quiet today.

I was able to hit it really nice and give myself some opportunities. I been putting it great. I just haven't been inside 20 feet. So today was really nice to have some looks.

Q. You found yourself in contention, or on leaderboards early on in tournaments.

WILL GORDON: Yeah.

Q. Now you find yourself in a good position going into Sunday. What have you learned from other experiences that might help you tomorrow?

WILL GORDON: Yeah, I just keep trying to put myself in these positions. I haven't been in a ton of them, but I'm starting to see myself there more often and just try to continue to progress and learn from the failures and successes.

Q. Talk about the birdie run you went on in the middle of the round.

WILL GORDON: Yeah, kind of started there on 8. Hit a really close one, and I had hit so many good putts on the first four, five holes. I was kind of laughing to my caddie, I was like, I hit every one online and none of them went in.

So hit it in there to like three feet on 8.

Made birdie on 9.

Bunker shot on 10.

Long putt on 11.

Pretty basic birdie on 12.

And then another long one on 14.

So it was go good to get on that run. I wish I finished it off a little bit better, but like I said, you just try to learn from it.

Q. How do you talk to yourself about not getting frustrated when you do hit good putts and they're not going in and you feel like you need to be scoring?

WILL GORDON: Yeah, I mean, with as much golf as we play it's going to happen. You try to stay in the moment and stay positive. If you're hitting them online, it's a read thing and it's just a matter of time before you start matching it up.

Q. How many times did you play golf with Steph Curry?

WILL GORDON: Yeah, probably ten or twelve from ages eight to fourteen. It was a cool time in my life. I don't talk to him a ton anymore, but it served as big inspiration for me growing up.

Q. Was it close? Did you guys have matches?

WILL GORDON: Oh, yeah, yeah. I think he clipped me the last time, and once he got in the win column we haven't played again. Yeah, it was fun.

Q. He quit while he was ahead.

WILL GORDON: Yeah, exactly.

Q. (Regarding trouble on 18.)

WILL GORDON: Yeah, I hit a horrible -- I mean, just trying to be too perfect like I was being on 16. I was trying to hit a perfect tee ball and overdid it and then was really in a tough spot on my second shot. Played it down 10 and I just had to take -- I mean, it took forever. I felt bad for my playing partners. I was just trying to take relief and just a little bit chaotic.

Q. Talk about the confidence you have right now.

WILL GORDON: I think I'm just trying to build on what I'm doing every week. It's really not about the cuts or the performance. It's just about getting better every week. That's what I'm trying to focus on, is like if something gets off or I'm doing something well, try to take note of what I'm doing well and build on it and take it from week to week.

Q. Talk about earning your card from the Korn Ferry and getting on the TOUR, how big it was.

WILL GORDON: Yeah, it was huge. I've been out here once before. It happened really fast the first time I got out here, so I didn't feel like I had my feet under me. The Korn Ferry provided that for me, so it was a great experience to get better. Winning that finals event was huge.

I felt like I played really nice all regular season. Didn't get the job done and it paid off in the playoffs. So it was an awesome moment.

Q. What did you learn most about going back to the Korn Ferry Tour that's helped you so far in this season?

WILL GORDON: Just mentally and emotionally not freaking out. I know that sounds basic, but it's just easy to chase results out here because it's such a high-pressure thing.

The Korn Ferry season I felt like was my first -- I knew how to off-season prepare for the full year and I had like a full year to kind of plan for, and once I feel like I have that under my belt, I've prepared a lot better.

Q. Talk about playing in the first group and being among contenders.

WILL GORDON: I think that's what you're trying to do on Saturday, especially when nobody has blown this golf tournament wide open yet. You know it's in there, and if you go on the on a run like I did today you can get yourself in it.

Like I said, I wish I had finished it off a little bit better to give myself a little bit better chance, but have to do the same thing tomorrow.

Q. You played golf with Stef. Did you ever shoot any hoops with him?

WILL GORDON: No. I wanted to stay in the win column.