U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 2, 2023

Alex Cejka

SentryWorld

Quick Quotes

Q. A model of consistency. You seemed to find something in the last couple of rounds. Under 3-under yesterday. You're tied for 9th.

ALEX CEJKA: Played pretty good. Not my best ball striking, what I normally have, but I'm still -- you're a little bit under pressure when you see very tight fairways, trying to work the ball a little bit.

I hit the ball okay. I didn't hit it super great for me, but I hit it good. In the end, when I look back at the week, I had a lot of up and downs that I didn't make. The they're not easy, but they're not that difficult.

But I fought four rounds. It's a major. It's supposed to be tough. It's a major. Great players up there. So I was just trying to play as good as I can.

Q. Fellow countryman, does that mean anything to you? Looks pretty good for him right now.

ALEX CEJKA: He's a world class player for so many decades now. Not years, decades. Kind of beating the records, winning it with a major hopefully. I mean, I must say (indiscernible) to him. He's been having a great career. He's a great guy. I love spending time with him.

I learn every time, no matter if I'm playing with him or if I play a practice round with him, there's always something where I'm like, hmm, why didn't I think of that? You know what I mean? I guess that's what makes him extra special. Not special, but extra special. Hopefully he's going to pull it through the last couple of holes.

Q. And serve notice that he's not done yet. Someone said I think he'd won enough, and Bernhard let him know, I'm not done yet. It was a joke but --

ALEX CEJKA: Most players -- I think Stricker went to 5- or 6-under just now, so it's not over. But look at those two players, what they have been achieving the last, whatever, two years. Just the last two years. We're not even talking in the past. It's incredible. And I think it's great for our Tour because it sets the bar high. We're practicing harder. We want to be there too.

Last year, two years ago, it was Steven Alker who dominated. Now it's Steve Stricker. So it's good for all of us. We want to beat those guys. We're willing to put a little more effort into it than we normally would. It's just a great TOUR. I'm just blessed to be a part of it.

Q. Speaking of being there, tied for 9th. You just earned yourself an exemption, it looks like, into next year's U.S. Senior Open. How does that feel?

ALEX CEJKA: It's great. Any time you somehow qualify, it doesn't matter if it's a money qualifier or through a tournament, it's a blessing. As I said, a lot of great players, top ten in a major. I take it.