ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

March 4, 2023

Pierceson Coody

Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Quick Quotes

Q. Start off with opening comments. Off early for the weekend. How did the round feel?

PIERCESON COODY: It was really good. I started off so well. That 5-under on the front nine was awesome. It gave me an opportunity to shoot a great score like I did.

The back nine's really tough. Those last four, five holes you're kind of just holding on a little bit. You're still trying to push the needle to make a few more birdies and luckily I did today.

Q. What were some highlights on that front nine with those birdies?

PIERCESON COODY: On the front nine, started off well by making about a 10-footer and 20-footer on 3 and 4.

Had about a five or six feet for eagle on 6. Unfortunately, didn't make it, but it was a really nice to have a tap-in birdie.

Then 8 and 9 kind of having really good looks at birdie, making both of 'em. I got 5-under at the turn, that was a really good place to be. Luckily, I kept it going.

Q. Did you have any experience here before you came this week?

PIERCESON COODY: I played the Palmer Cup here what would have been in 2020, maybe 2021, I'm not sure. But it's a completely golf course. The ryegrass had just been laid down, it was no rough, super soft greens, flying 5-iron onto holes. So it's a different type of golf course, but I at least know the sight lines.

Q. Does your dad have any memories from here just from the time that he lived here?

PIERCESON COODY: I'm not sure how much he got to play out here. They were over by TPC Sawgrass. I'm not sure where he played when he lived here. But the old tournament director, Tom Scarborough, is who my dad's staying with this week. So he has a lot of familiarity with the course, the people here. So he's having fun.

Q. Feel like you got a break -- it's supposed to get kind of windy again this afternoon like yesterday. Did you get in before the wind really got strong?

PIERCESON COODY: It's just the way it is out here. I would have loved to start my day at 5-under and tested myself. Starting the day at 5-under, that would have been a lot better position. But I'm happy that I moved in when there wasn't a lot of wind this morning and did what I needed to do move up the leaderboard.

Q. Do you feel you're a pretty good wind player?

PIERCESON COODY: I've had a lot of success in the wind. I won my fair share of college events and amateur events in some really tough conditions.

Q. It's a good skill to have in Texas, for example.

PIERCESON COODY: It's not hard to bring the ball down. It's sometimes a little too much.

Q. What do you feel is the best thing you can pull from these couple of starts the last two weeks?

PIERCESON COODY: Just building. Like I've said, I had surgery and I felt really rusty. Today was nice to get back into a groove of things. Panama on the Korn Ferry Tour when I won I had a great final round, similar to that round, where I just cruised in, didn't think much of it and ended up in a really good spot. It would be nice if the leaders didn't do too much today and I could give myself a chance to do that one more round tomorrow.

Q. What's your take collectively on the young group that comes out? A lot of fearlessness, right. It used to be an intimidating thing to step out here on the big TOUR. What's your take on that?

PIERCESON COODY: I just don't think there's anything to lose and everything to gain. You're playing on the PGA TOUR. I'm playing a designated event on a sponsor exemption. It's just such a cool experience for me, I couldn't be happier just to be playing.

Q. What kinds of things did you learn from your grandfather?

PIERCESON COODY: To hit it low. He just tells me some of the old things that guys swear by almost of just fairways and greens and good lag putting. I try to take that to heart because I know every guy out here's trying to do that. Not fall in the trap of hitting driver everywhere and stuff. So just still trying to play to my strengths, but fairways and greens.

Q. How tough is it to play with your brother?

PIERCESON COODY: It's really hard having your twin brother in the field because you're always looking over your shoulder hoping that he's playing great. He's missed some cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour early by one. It's been hard, because one of the rounds I was a group behind him and watched the whole thing. So it's tough, but it's a really cool experience for both of us and we're having fun playing pro golf together.