HONDA CLASSIC

February 24, 2023

Chris Kirk

PGA National Resort

Quick Quotes

Q. Key word I keep hearing is "aggressive." That's always daunting on this course. Sometimes that can burn you, but it didn't burn you today. Tell me about how the feel was out there for you.

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, it was definitely the conditions that lent itself to being able to be a little bit more aggressive, being able to dial in kind of carry distances and stuff like that with irons and wedges better.

Usually we're playing for 15, 20 plus yards of hurt going into the wind shots, and 15, 20 yards of help on downwind shots. So it's really difficult to get those just right when it's really windy.

But today there was hardly a breath most of the round, and so it became a little bit more target practice.

Q. Were you aware of that birdie putt on 18 would have been a tie for the course record?

CHRIS KIRK: No, I just wanted to birdie the last three to shoot 59.

Yeah, it was disappointing not to birdie 18. I hit such a great wedge shot that looked like it went right over the edge of the hole. Haven't really had any spin back like that this week. I guess it's just really into the grain right there on 18.

It was a bummer. Felt like I deserved a birdie after hitting such a great wedge shot but misread the putt a little bit. I definitely won't let that put a damper on a really good day.

Q. If I said in the morning you're going to shoot 8-under, you'd take that?

CHRIS KIRK: I'd take that every day, anywhere, doesn't matter where we are.

Q. How did you make the eagle?

CHRIS KIRK: It was a good tee ball and a 5-wood. I think it was 249 or so and hit a 5-wood to about maybe just inside 20 feet or so and made it. That was kind of the first -- after not making anything yesterday, it was awesome to see that one just kind of go right in the middle, perfect speed, and really got me going.

Q. There's a lot of young guys that are near the top. How many of these guys do you know? Do you know a lot of these guys? Talk about the depth of young talent coming up on the TOUR.

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, I try to do my best to introduce myself to as many of the rookies as I get a chance to when they get out here, but anybody that makes it to the PGA TOUR is an unbelievable player. There's no doubt about that. Anybody that gets on to the Korn Ferry TOUR is an unbelievable player.

Yeah, I definitely am not doubting any of the young talent coming out here. It's a lot of really good young guys that hit it a lot further than me and are playing with a lot of confidence.

I think you'll continue to see that week after week.

Q. When you're having an awesome round like you were having and then you're approaching the Bear Trap, is there something about you that exhales just to say, okay, let's finish this off; this is something that is one more big challenge?

CHRIS KIRK: Not really. I mean, I wouldn't say that myself or any of us really treat those holes any differently than the rest of the holes. They certainly can be a challenge, no doubt. I mean, I've had my fair share of trouble on them over the years.

It's really the same thing. It's boring to hear me say this, but I want to treat every shot and every putt just like -- whether it's the first one on Thursday or the last one on Sunday. The objective is the same every time. Just trying to execute as best I can.

Q. When you post a really good score in the morning and assume you'll be in a late group tomorrow if not the last, that gap of time, how do you approach being in the morning and in the afternoon on Saturday?

CHRIS KIRK: I'll go back to the house and take a nap for sure. Maybe a little workout, maybe throw the baseball a little bit. I do that a lot. Sleep in tomorrow and hang out. I'm pretty good at killing time.

Q. Why do you throw the baseball?

CHRIS KIRK: I just love baseball. I always have. I travel with a few gloves and balls and I work out at a baseball performance place at home. Jake Crane is my trainer, and he's a baseball coach basically and trains one golfer.

Q. No worries on the shoulder?

CHRIS KIRK: No, I'm careful. I don't think I can throw it hard enough to really hurt myself anyways.