U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

June 16, 2023

Sahith Theegala

The Los Angeles Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. (No microphone.)

SAHITH THEEGALA: Probably 30 times now.

Q. Besides the rough being longer and the tee boxes being farther back it's not playing all that different from normal. You shot 66 today. Are you surprised at how it's playing?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Not surprised. I just played it so many times when it's a little chilly and the fairways aren't running. And a hole like 2, 16, 18, I have driver, 4-iron. Now it's driver, 7-iron; driver, 6-iron. Which I think it makes the holes easier.

Q. With how firm the fairways are?

SAHITH THEEGALA: With how firm the fairways are. I think it makes those holes quite a bit easier because those greens are actually very receptive for longer shots. Like 2 has a back stop. 16 kind of you can land 10 yards short of the green. 8 is so pitched. So there's holes that play easier, but there's holes that definitely play a lot harder.

Q. Par 3's are playing long.

SAHITH THEEGALA: Oh, yeah, so long. But I think personally it's legitimately playing, no exaggeration, 300 yards shorter than normal.

Q. Just because you have how much it's running out.

SAHITH THEEGALA: I'm getting 30 yards of roll on every drive versus five. And then some of the par-3s I feel like are playing shorter just because the front of the greens are firm. Like 11, normally you can't really land it that far short of the green.

Q. Yeah, it's really like running off --

SAHITH THEEGALA: Now you have to land it short of the green. So I know on the card it's like 290, but everyone's hitting 255 shots. So, similar thing with 7. Like, you never run it up that green. Now you can land it 10 of the green and still pitch it on. So the rough's gnarly though. The rough is brutal.