U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 30, 2023

Jerry Kelly

SentryWorld

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Jerry Kelly, 1-under 70 for today. 1-under after 36 holes. How would you say today's round compared to yesterday's?

JERRY KELLY: I think it was definitely tougher. Greens were -- I couldn't really tell. Some fast putts weren't fast. Some slow putts were fast.

They're starting to dry out and burn out a little bit, which is great. It's U.S. Open style. It's tough. But you just kind of didn't know what you were going to get today in terms of bouncing out, so you had to play somewhat safe and kind of get in trouble playing safe sometimes.

Hit the ball about the same. Just one short missed putt. Other than that, it was fairly clean out there, which was nice.

Q. Everybody in the world is talking about you and Steve this week, and you're playing together tomorrow. How much fun is that going to be?

JERRY KELLY: As long as we're twos, right?

Q. I think even in threes it looks like it, right?

JERRY KELLY: That would be incredible. I mean, yeah, that's a fairytale week even for us. I mean, it's pretty cool. I'm all for that.

We really enjoy playing with each other. It will just make it that much cooler.

Q. You put it in the fairway on No. 9, put it on the green perfectly. I know that first putt wasn't probably what you wanted, but to come through that the way you did today, how do you feel? How do you anticipate that hole being a potential difference maker on the weekend?

JERRY KELLY: I knew coming into this week that would be a pivotal hole in the entire tournament. I'm glad that one's not 18 anymore. That's a tough one to finish on when you're tired.

In the middle of the round you've got a little bit more in you. But these U.S. Open rounds are long, tough. They take a lot out of you. I'm glad that one's at the turn. It's definitely going to be a pivotal hole.

Q. I know you'll have no problem with adrenaline tomorrow, but what do you do tonight to sort of rest up and get ready for tomorrow?

JERRY KELLY: I don't know. I've got to get icing. I've got to get -- I've got to do a regimen to make sure I don't swell up and stuff like that. I've got to go through some steps.

It's late, but I've still got to go through the steps. If I don't, I'm going to pay for it tomorrow. There's still some work to do yet.

Q. Jerry, you mentioned the rounds kind of take a lot out of you. How do you stay with a positive mindset when you're going through a grueling round like that? Because at 9 when you finished up that putt, you looked up at your caddie and gave him a big smile at the end there.

JERRY KELLY: It helps having people out giving you that energy. That helped a lot. When I made the tough bogey on that par-3, I really didn't expect that one after. It was a long wait, but I should have wound it up. A little too relaxed.

You know, hear a lot of great things after I missed it and going to the next hole. I didn't reward them with a good shot off the tee, but I hit a pretty darn good second one. Yeah, I was happy to go par, par after that drive on 8.

Q. Jerry, top of the leaderboard stays at 3-under looks like after two rounds. How is this Senior Open different from the ones you've played, and is this one a little more grueling?

JERRY KELLY: Yeah, it's much more penalizing. It can jump up and bite you on what you would consider the easiest holes. It doesn't make any difference. If you get in that rough, you're going to struggle. That's just all there is to it.

I think the way the greens are the putting's not going to get any easier, and the putting is difficult already. It's going to be a test on the weekend. It's going to be a test of patience.

Q. You were in some fairway bunkers today. Do you try to play those holes differently tomorrow to stay out of those bunkers? Were you hitting a different club? Are you changing clubs maybe tomorrow?

JERRY KELLY: I told my caddie on the long hole, do you want me to play a little bleeder away from the bunker? It's like, do you want to hit 3-wood in? I kind of just had to suck it up and hit my shape shot, hope the wind hit it, and I just missed it and it got in. I still had utility. I had 207 out of the bunker. I would have had 220 if I would have hit a little fade.

No, I'm just going to have to take that one on. I did a terrible shot on 8. It was the exact same swing I made on 7, just completely no legs and out of it. I was just tired. I lost the adrenaline on the par-3, so hopefully play a little bit quicker on the weekend and keep it up the whole way.