THE AMERICAN EXPRESS

January 20, 2023

Tom Kim

PGA WEST Pete Dye Stadium Course

Quick Quotes

Q. 62 today. What was working so well for you?

TOM KIM: I had a good putting round. It's been a few rounds since it's been like this today. It's kind of nice to know that I still have my feel on my putter and my putter's still working. Definitely a lot of positives. Really happy with the way I played today.

Q. How frustrating was it with the putter last week versus what you've dealt with or what you went through today?

TOM KIM: Even just yesterday, since Sony, just didn't have really good putting rounds. Feel like I putted great, but just the hole was looking really small. I went with a different mindset today and I felt really comfortable on the greens and just going up to my ball. So I think that was the big thing.

Q. What did you learn about yourself with the adversity from last week having missed the cut?

TOM KIM: That just, like I have to play better. That's the big thing. I got myself to kind of take a few steps back. I've been playing really well. Those things kind of happen. It's not like I played bad or anything, it's just nothing really went my way.

But I feel like even with yesterday, I left some shots on the greens, but it was really nice to kind of play well today and give myself some confidence going into the next two rounds.

Q. How much do you like the aggressive nature that you need to have to make birdies out here?

TOM KIM: It's just more of I just try to stick to my game plan. Don't really like to think about that. You play good golf it's going to take care of everything. So I just try to play my game. Having Joe on the bag kind of helps me just stick to my game plan.

Q. Is there anything from Joe that, kind of like the banter and the discussions on the course, like that sticks with you that helps you kind of, like, lock in or things he says to you that keep you going when you might be maybe stalling out a little bit?

TOM KIM: A hundred percent. I mean, he's helped me a lot just when we play. Obviously he and I have gotten a lot closer than we were before. We enjoy our time on the golf course. Whenever I have some questions I can always lean to him. He has the experience to give me really, really good advice. So definitely helps me kind of just be in the moment and kind of have a good round like today.

Q. How do you keep the energy up when you're playing a few weeks in a row kind of at an early stage of your career? Any tricks or things you do to kind of stay fresh?

TOM KIM: No, I'm just here to play golf events and I'm trying to win and just trying to play the best I can. So I'm just enjoying it.

Q. It's still fresh, you would say, the whole idea of traveling and coming up?

TOM KIM: I expect myself to be in this mindset for a really long time just because of how much I who love playing golf. Definitely rounds like today help that, but just same thing.