ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

April 20, 2023

Beau Hossler

Wyndham Clark

TPC Louisiana

Quick Quotes

Q. Start off with some opening comments about what made it seem so effortless out there today.

BEAU HOSSLER: Did it seem that way? Oh, okay. We played nice, both of us played nicely, and to be honest, looking back on it, we probably ham-and-egged it just about perfect, right?

WYNDHAM CLARK: Yeah, I would say so.

BEAU HOSSLER: And we took advantage of the hardest holes, which is not easy to do out here. With that said, I think also we left a couple out there that hopefully we can get in the next few days.

Q. How did that partnership come about? Who asked who, story, connection behind it?

WYNDHAM CLARK: Well, our caddies are good friends. They kind of room together, play a lot of gin. Beau and I have known each other since we were probably 10, and then at Riv, we both didn't have a partner, and I --

BEAU HOSSLER: Negotiated terms.

WYNDHAM CLARK: Yeah, basically we asked. It's great. Our games complement each other. We both are good putters, both have a good short game, and then I kind of fade it and he kind of draws it, so it's a good mix.

Q. Does that connection and relationship with the caddies kind of help make for a fun atmosphere out there?

BEAU HOSSLER: I'd say there's probably no other team that BS's as well as we do, so yeah, we're having a really good time. We've had a good couple days in practice, and we obviously played well so that made it more fun, but we enjoyed the day for sure.

Q. How does the mindset shift when you flip over to alternate shot compared to today chasing birdies here?

WYNDHAM CLARK: I mean, it doesn't shift too much. Obviously you just want to keep the ball in play and in front of you, but it's similar to any other tournament. If I feel like he's hitting it good and I'm hitting it good and we're feeling good, you can be a little more aggressive on stuff, but really if you can just give yourself 18 looks tomorrow, you put yourself in a good spot.

The tournament is far from over, and tomorrow is obviously a tougher day, and just look to go out there --

BEAU HOSSLER: And particularly on this course, if we were just playing stroke play and obviously alternate shot scoring just one ball, I think there's 12 or 13 pretty gettable holes and there's four or five holes that you've just got to make it through ideally level par.

That's kind of what I was getting at earlier today. We made birdie on some of those holes, which is not easy to do, but in the alternate shot if you can walk out of those five holes with par and try and take advantage of the rest, you're in a really good spot.

Q. You'll talk strategy about how you're approaching alternate shot?

WYNDHAM CLARK: I mean, not really. We played the pro-am, we played pure alternate shot in that, and I mean really, at the end of the day you've still got to play good golf, but really I just try to leave my partner in good spots, and he's probably going to try to do the same. If you play well, great, and if you struggle, then you embrace the struggle. We're just trying to have fun out here, and if we do that, I think we'll have some success.

Q. Usually there's only a few times every year that even after a first round you're right up at the top of the leaderboard. How do expectations change or the mindset shift after a really good first round?

BEAU HOSSLER: I don't think they shift at all, to be honest, particularly best ball. Everybody out here is good. The scores I'm sure are very, very, very bunched. Tomorrow is going to be -- alternate shot is going to be way more of a separator. Yeah, we played nicely, and I think if we play the way we did today tomorrow, we'll be in great shape.

But yeah, certainly you embrace the challenge of a way more separating format tomorrow.