RBC CANADIAN OPEN

June 9, 2023

Aaron Rai

Oakdale Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. 67 first round, 69 second round. How does it feel so far?

AARON RAI: Very pleased with the first two days, it's a tricky course. The rough's thick. Had a little bit more wind today. So it was tricky, there was some scorable holes, for sure. But overall it's a good test of golf. So I think anything under par is a good score both days. So very pleased with how it's gone.

Q. Coming into the week a couple T-15 finishes mixed with some missed cuts. What's been the key this week for keeping it going through the weekend?

AARON RAI: That's a good question. Probably it started off yesterday. I think just having a pretty positive attitude and a good mindset over shots and I think staying very patient even though things sometimes always don't go your way. I think that was really key after I think the fifth hole yesterday. Got off to a good start and then was 4-over through holes 3, 4, 5 and 6. Then mindset really was what turned it around. Just seeing things in a slightly better and clearer way and finished off great yesterday and just kind of rolled with a lot of that today. So it's very hard to put your finger on exactly what it is that makes those change, but, yeah, hopefully we can continue with that.

Q. Harry his was here talking about something similar and really enjoying himself on the golf course. Do you feel that you're able to enjoy yourself more and like shift that positive thinking and then it translates into play?

AARON RAI: Yeah, that's so important. I think in any sport it's such a mental challenge. I think that's what often differentiates a lot of players in a given sport. I think some days you can do that better and some days it's a little bit harder to do that. So I think that's just human nature. But I think the more you can kind of be present with things and kind of give our best on each shot and try and stay as positive as possible, even though it's very difficult, I think it can only yield good things over a period of time.

Q. Mentioning the course. It's a new course for us here on the PGA TOUR. How do you describe it to somebody that's watching at home?

AARON RAI: Yeah, there are two pretty different nines. The first nine is pretty difficult. There are some short, a couple of short par-4s, but the middle stretch of holes 3 through until 6 are pretty difficult. I'm sure a lot of things have been saying the same thing. On the back nine you've got a few more chances. There's still some difficult holes sprinkled in there with like the par-3, 11th. 17, a good hole as well. So it's a real mixed bag where you got some scoring opportunities but some difficult holes. But I think the key is to kind of keep it on the fairways. The rough is so thick this week. Just gives you that little bit more control coming into the greens. Because the greens are quite slopey as well. So it's a good challenge, it's a good course and it's in fantastic condition.

Q. Yesterday you were 3-over through 6. Today you are 8-under through 36. That's pretty incredible. What were you feeling on the 6th hole or on maybe the 7th hole yesterday?

AARON RAI: I felt pretty calm, to be honest. As I was saying earlier, it's a funny game and I think the mind is, you can sometimes be playing great but sometimes be doubtful in the mind and not feel amazing over certain shots. You can sometimes be playing quite poorly but then kind of flick a switch in the mind and feel very positive about what you're doing and what's to come. So I think that was the biggest thing that even on hole number 7, the score, we were 3-over through 6 as you said. But I felt pretty calm and pretty settled in the situation we were in. I think that was key for then finishing off the round very strongly.

Q. Do you have like mental processes to keep yourself from getting too negative in any moment?

AARON RAI: I try to. I try to. I think a lot of that for me lies in just perspective. Being out here is such a blessing, it's amazing competing on the PGA TOUR. I think just trying to stay as present as possible. As cliche as that sounds but a few different techniques to just try and stay as present as possible.