HONDA CLASSIC

February 23, 2023

Ben Taylor

PGA National Resort

Quick Quotes

Q. Have you ever played here before? Guys talk about how difficult this golf course is. How did you find it today?

BEN TAYLOR: Yeah, I've not played the tournament before. I've been first alternate. I've been third alternate. And I've lost in a playoff in a Monday qualifier. I only live 10 minutes away, so I played it a few times, just not in the event.

So that was certainly very nice to tee it up today for the first time. Bar a couple hiccups coming in I think that was a good start to the tournament.

Q. Is it rewarding to finally get an opportunity and come and play like you did today?

BEN TAYLOR: Yes. (Laughing.)

Q. Can you remember the dates that you were alternate, alternate and then qualifying?

BEN TAYLOR: Yes, I lost in a playoff in 2019. Then 2020 and 2021 my two years on TOUR was when I was alternate. So Korn Ferry Tour last year and then went back this year.

Q. You live here, you've played here. What are the keys to playing well on this golf course?

BEN TAYLOR: To me this is just like a lot of Palm Beach's top golf courses where it plays long, it blows, there's lots of water. So there's parts of the golf course where you just have to hit the right shot. You can't hit it in the wrong spot.

To me this course is very demanding with that respect. I think as long as you're sensible and you take on the pins that are friendly to take on I think you can post four solid rounds out here.

Q. Specifically 17, 18, 1, 2, four birdies in a row there. What was working well for you in that stretch?

BEN TAYLOR: Sure. I bogeyed 15, sort of out of nowhere.

Then managed to hit one close on 17. So I kind of redeemed myself.

18 was not a great tee shot, which actually made it easier to sort of hit it up close to the green and have a pitch as opposed to laying up. So a couple of good birdies there.

Then 1 and 2 I just hit two class shots into the greens and kept that streak going. So that was obviously the highlight of the round. Sort of got me a few figures under par and in a solid spot in the first round of this tournament.