U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 29, 2023

Steve Stricker

SentryWorld

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Steve Stricker to flash. Steve, 1-over 72. Really only a couple holes that hurt you today. Can you walk us through your round?

STEVE STRICKER: Actually, I thought I played really well. Two shots really, the drive at 10 stymied behind the tree, literally up against the tree. Laid it up in a divot and then proceeded to not get very good contact out of the divot, and it buried in the bunker.

So I did them all in one hole really. Up against a tree in a divot and buried lie in the bunker. That didn't sit well with me, and it kind of affected probably the next couple of holes.

Then hit a poor shot at 12, and that was kind of a wakeup call to get my head back in the game kind of thing.

But it was just really those two swings. Other than that, I played really solid and had a lot of opportunities. Tough to get it close at times this afternoon. Some of the greens got pretty firm. Didn't know which ones really.

17, that ball, I don't know how it stays where it does short of -- one more step, and it goes all the way down to the hole. Then 18 it runs out. So some greens were a little inconsistent in regards to how much they were going to bounce out. So that was tough to kind of figure out too.

It's a challenging place, but I hung in there. 1-over is not a bad score. I just need a good one tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Can you just reflect on what it feels like to play major championship golf here in your home state?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Extra pressure for sure to try to play well. You don't want to disappoint, so that adds a little bit to it.

I handled it, I thought, well. I got off to a good start, hit good shots, made good decisions. Then just really the couple holes around the turn got me.

Yeah, it's a lot of fun. They came out and supported. It was a nice crowd today, and it was a nice day to play golf.

Q. Steve, when you get over the disappointment of this round, do you take some -- how much consolation do you take from the fact that you're only four back and you're only two out of second place?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I mean, it's a tough place. Anything around par is going to be an okay score. It's just you got to keep hanging in there.

It's going to be a challenge the next three days and the rough isn't going to get any shorter, so it's going to put a premium on hitting the ball in the fairway. Like I said, anything around par, you're not hurting yourself.

Q. Just as a follow, Steve, don't bite my head off for this one, but can you remember the last time you made two doubles in a row? It's got to be over a year.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I know you can't do that in a U.S. Open or any major. You've got to stay away from the doubles.

I got a little aggressive on that fourth shot into the green at 10 out of the bunker. I should have just tried to hit it in the middle of the green, but I thought I could get clean contact on it. I was trying to make a par still. Just I didn't.

I didn't make good contact, and it kind of fluffed over to the right. From there it was no good either.

Yeah, you have to stay away from doubles. If I make bogeys there, I shoot 1-under, and that's the difference. You have to stay away from those.

Q. When you have a round like that or a couple holes like that, I should say, you like the fact that you flip the front and back nine to start tomorrow and you get to go right back at them to start your round?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, they're both very challenging. You've got to pay attention to both sides. I don't know if one side is easier than the other. There's some good holes on both sides, and you just have to take each hole as it comes and get it in the fairway and determine if you can attack from there or not.

They had some good pin placements today that you had to be careful on and some accessible ones. I thought the course was set up great. In that regards, you've just got to do the first thing first and get the ball in the fairway.

Q. When you have a late tee time like you did, are you at all looking at the way the morning wave is playing? I don't know if you saw that the front nine was playing decidedly harder than the back early on, and you came out and took it to that side.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I watched a little bit early on. You know, when I got up here -- I drove from home today, and then got here early enough I watched a little bit in the hotel. I saw some challenges from guys all over the course.

Again, it can get you -- I mean, I doubled 10, and it's probably ranked one of the easier holes out there today. So any hole can come up and grab you. You just have to hit good shots, bottom line. You have to play smart, hit good shots, and not put yourself behind a tree.

Q. Just a followup too. We have to ask about your par-or-better streak ending. I guess it's not a big deal this week, but can you reflect on what you were able to do to get that as far as you did?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, and I thought about it coming down the stretch, if I could get one more birdie to get another round of par or better. Really it's not that big a deal. I was just trying to make birdies to get back in the game.

Again, I'm not that far out of it. But tomorrow's an important round to try to get something under par for the total and set myself up for the weekend.

Q. Steve, just physically, how do you feel after those air quality issues kind of along today on the course? How do you feel physically knowing you have an early tee time tomorrow?

STEVE STRICKER: I feel fine. I feel like I'm in good enough shape to kind of handle everything that's going on. Our time tomorrow isn't super early. I'm not sure what time it is, 8:30 or something like that.

I'll get plenty of rest tonight, and I'll be ready to go tomorrow.