KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 24, 2023

Steve Stricker

Press Conference

PGA Frisco

THE MODERATOR: Steve Stricker joins us now at the 83rd KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Welcome to Frisco, Steve. You won your second straight title at the Regions Tradition two weeks ago. How confident are you feeling heading into Thursday's opening round?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I feel good. My game seems like it's in a pretty good spot. Yeah, been trying to get around this course as much as I can to understand the layout and the different wind conditions, all the things you're trying to do to try to learn about a golf course before the week starts. So it's a new course for all of us, and just trying to rest for one because it's a long week. We had a pro-am yesterday that took a long time. Then we've got four rounds ahead of us.

It's about prepping and trying to get all that done and then making sure you get rest and be ready to play some Thursday.

Q. What have been your impressions of the East Course so far?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, it's good. It's a challenging layout. I imagine the wind can blow around here. We haven't seen a lot of wind yet. A little bit today. But the wind is going to be a definite factor, I think.

It's unique in a lot of ways. It's pretty in an open area like this, but it's rolling hills. The course is in great shape. Tee boxes are a little bit -- I'm sure you've heard a lot about the tee boxes around here. They're a little bit different. Some pretty extreme, some kind of fit the hole.

But all in all, it's going to be a good test.

Q. You'll be serving as a vice captain with Zach Johnson for the U.S. Team at the upcoming Ryder Cup. What are you looking forward to about getting to Rome?

STEVE STRICKER: First of all, I've never been to Rome, so that's going to be a cool and exciting experience all on its own. Just to be with the guys again, to be a part of the team, to be with Zach and the other assistants I think is always a treat for me. And just to be a part of it all.

I think when we get to be -- I'm 56 now, and when you get to be this old, to be able to still be a part of something like this so special like the Ryder Cup, you want to hang on to it for as long as you can because it is a cool moment to be a part of.

Q. You've been a captain and a vice captain before. What do you think are the most important aspects of a vice captain role?

STEVE STRICKER: Just doing whatever the captain wants you to do. Davis Love has always said, if you need me to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I'll make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It really is just about anything you can imagine. You're there just to support the team, support the guys, do whatever it takes to make them comfortable, to make them feel as one unit. I think that's a big thing is that we all come together for that one common goal, and that's to win the Ryder Cup this year.

Yeah, you'll do just about anything.

Q. The Alfred S. Bourne trophy, lots of names on there. Just wondering if any of those names jump out as guys you admire or guys you've looked up to over the years?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I mean, it's got a lot of history behind it, right? You know, I don't know if there's one particular name. There's a whole slew of guys that I could probably name off that have won this tournament and been a part of this great history of this tournament.

Yeah, just to not get too far ahead in thinking about that kind of stuff, but yeah, it would be a special moment to try to have an opportunity on Sunday coming down the last few holes to try to win.

Q. This course, a new course for everyone. What challenges does it present when you've never seen a course in competition before?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, it presents a lot of challenges just because conditions like wind that we could get could throw everything off. So you're trying to get as much information as you can in a short period of time.

You feel like your homework is never done. You feel like you need to kind of get out there and experience all the things that you need to experience when you're in these practice rounds.

Yeah, you're trying to take it all in. Everybody is in the same boat for the most part, and yeah, so it's just a lot of work in these three days leading up to the tournament.