JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 7, 2023

Peter Kuest

TPC Deere Run

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Well, thanks for stopping by. Off to I know it wasn't the end you wanted for today, but a good start. 4-under, 67 to open the first two rounds. Just a couple of comments on how you're feeling, what you're feeling like is working well for you.

PETER KUEST: Yeah, thank you. We're feeling good. Just one step at a time. We're in a good spot for the weekend, so we'll go make some noise.

THE MODERATOR: What went well for you today?

PETER KUEST: It was all pretty good. We hit a lot of greens and gave ourselves a lot of good looks and got some to roll in, so we'll just try to keep doing that the next two days.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What's the reaction today? Do you let yourself think about the big picture after today's round, making the cut, and what that means for you?

PETER KUEST: Not really because at the end of the day it's just golf. We're just trying to play our best and go from there.

So we'll go get a little lunch and get a little practice in and teeing it up tomorrow and see what we can do.

Q. Don't think about earning the points needed for that special exemption?

PETER KUEST: No, not at all. That will come when you play well, so we'll just look forward to playing well.

Q. Has anything in particular really clicked for you here this stretch you're on right now the last couple of weeks?

PETER KUEST: Just my bad rounds are a lot better. I mean, like yesterday I kind of scrapped it around and ended up at 4-under, and today played a little better, but a little sloppy coming in.

So, yeah, just a little more consistent here and there and just scoring a little better.

Q. For those of us who maybe aren't quite as familiar with your story, I guess obviously you've been through quite a bit here the last 18 months. How have you kind of managed to kind of get through some of those turbulent times you've kind of dealt with?

PETER KUEST: Yeah, I just have a good family and a lot of good friends. There's a lot of people supporting me, so it's nice to have that, you know, when I go home and just have a really good team behind me.

Q. How good a frame of mind are you in right now just with the way you're playing and kind of out on the golf course?

PETER KUEST: Yeah, really good. We get to play on the PGA TOUR, so it's a great opportunity.

Q. Have you given any thought to what your schedule is going to look like then going forward? I imagine you'll go to --

PETER KUEST: Hopefully I'm playing the rest of the year.

Q. -- Barbasol.

PETER KUEST: Have a chance at Wyndham to get into the playoffs, so that's what we're shooting for, and we'll see what happens.

Q. Just curious, a couple of weeks ago before you qualified into the tournament over in Detroit, if someone would have told you that you would be in contention on the PGA TOUR two weeks in a row heading into the weekend, what would your response or thought process have been?

PETER KUEST: That it would be pretty sweet. I try not to think about it too much. I've put a lot of work into my game, so it's nice to see the work pay off. Yeah, just it is what it is.