THE AMERICAN EXPRESS

January 20, 2023

Davis Thompson

PGA WEST Pete Dye Stadium Course

Quick Quotes

Q. Great day out there. Follow-up a great day with another great day. One of the most overused things is you got to take care of the par-5s out there. I think you took that a little further today.

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, for sure. Just had some good numbers into par-5s and was able to execute my shots. Had some putts drop. So it was nice to make some eagles.

Q. Has there been a key, one thing standing out for you? Is it iron play, are you rolling the rock, just seeing the lines or is it everything clicking on all cylinders?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I think putting the ball in the fairway, hitting a lot of greens and really seeing lines well on my putts. Yeah, like you said, just everything is kind of clicking these last two days and just looking forward to trying to keep it rolling tomorrow.

Q. You played well at the Sony, you made four of five cuts in your rookie campaign. Why so comfortable so early for you out here?

DAVIS THOMPSON: I think it has to do a lot with last year. Playing on the Korn Ferry Tour and also just playing on some sponsor exemptions out here right when I turned pro. I'm still a rookie, still learning these golf courses, but there is a comfort level to kind of know what to expect at every tournament.

Q. You just mentioned comfort level in terms of golf courses ones you haven't played before, etcetera. Do you think there's a maybe a little advantage in the sense that you get to go back-to-back now at the Stadium Course, maybe get comfortable with it on Saturday, play a round and then head back there on Sunday and try to win a golf tournament?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, for sure. I think I played the majority of the holes on Tuesday. So got a good feel. But, yeah, it will be nice to play two courses in a row and kind of prepare for one course these next two days. So looking forward to that.

Q. You've tied the TOUR record for most eagles through 36 holes. What does that, just having a part of history, what does that mean? How cool is that?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, that's pretty cool. I didn't know. I kind of thought about that a little bit after I made the putt on 7. But yeah, those are always nice. Able to get two for one. But, yeah, it's pretty cool to have some putts drop and make some eagles.

Q. Could you go through the two yesterday and the three today? Just the club you hit into the green and how long the putt was for the five eagles, just to record this in history.

DAVIS THOMPSON: Let's see, on 5 yesterday I hit 6-iron in and made about a 15-footer. Then on -- that was on 5 yesterday.

On 6 yesterday I hit a 7-iron into the green. Missed the green and chipped in.

Today No. 4, I hit 5-iron to about 15 feet and made it.

Then on 7, I hit a really good 6-iron into 7 and made like a probably a 20-footer. So it was really nice to see some really good execution with those holes.

Q. The one on the back nine today?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Oh, yeah, that's right. 11, I hit a 7-iron in and made about a 20-footer.

Q. The chip-in yesterday, how long was that from?

DAVIS THOMPSON: I would probably say 15 yards. I just hit a little bump and run down there. Kind of hung on the lip for a second and then dropped. So it was nice to see that drop.

Q. What do you think it is, some players when they get low pretty early can kind of stall out, but you kept going. You've had a history of doing that in the past. Where do you think that comes from not being scared to go low?

DAVIS THOMPSON: I don't know. Watching this tournament for a couple years now I always see the winning score being so low. So you kind of really don't have a choice, you just got to keep hitting greens and giving yourself looks and trying to make the putts. I was just fortunate enough to make a lot of putts these first two days. But, yeah, it is easy to stall out, but at the same time, if you just stay present minded and focus on one shot at a time you'll give yourself a lot of opportunities.

Q. You did stall out a little on your first nine today. Then it turned around. But there wasn't any change in the game, you just started making putts?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, on 16 and 1 I hit two good shots, we just kind of misjudged the wind and it hit short and came back and wasn't able to get up-and-down.

But, yeah, I did have some looks between 13 and 2. I just didn't really convert.

But after 2 I just told myself to stay patient and just keep giving myself looks and then I got on a run.

Q. The two par-5s at La Quinta I think everybody assumes there will be eagles there. Do you see much difference between those holes and say the holes over here? Are they much different on the Nicklaus Course?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, they are different. I feel like La Quinta is a lot tighter off the tee, so you got to really execute your tee shot.

The Nicklaus Course you can kind of get away with a tee shot if you miss it a touch.

As far as like hitting into the green, I've hit pretty much the same clubs these first two days. Anywhere from like a 7-iron to like a 3-iron. So that's been pretty consistent. But, yeah, only thing that's really different, La Quinta is smaller greens and tighter fairways.

Q. You ever been 18-under through 36 holes?

DAVIS THOMPSON: That's a good question. I don't really know. Definitely not in a TOUR event. Just got to keep rolling.

Q. Is this all still kind of head spinning? Not just what you're doing on the course but the stuff surrounding it, like this?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I don't know. I feel like I've had good prep for this kind of stuff. Like I said, I had some of this in college and some of this right when I turned pro. But, yeah, I mean, I just try to focus on trying to execute golf shots and stay present minded. This stuff is great and this stuff usually means I'm playing good, but at the end of the day you just got to go play.

Q. So what is the mindset then 36 holes in?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Just kind of reset and refocus for tomorrow. Just got to keep executing and trying to hit fairways and greens.

Q. Is it, don't think too much? Does that enter into it?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, quite simply, yeah. It's easy to have your mind race. But I've been playing this game for a long time, so I kind of it's a constant way to kind of train your mind to focus on one thing at a time.

Q. Been a good January for the University of Georgia, hasn't it?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, for sure. We got off to a good start in 2023. Hopefully this season will be great too. I have all the faith in the world in Coach Smart.