JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 8, 2023

Adam Schenk

TPC Deere Run

Press Conference

Q. Adam, another great day here at TPC Deere Run.

ADAM SCHENK: Yeah, got off to a great start obviously. Had a nice draw 8-iron around the tree on 2. Went to a foot, so that was a major bonus.

We got stuck in neutral for a while. Made my first bogey of the tournament. Not that that's a good thing to get out of the way, but then it was never in the back of my mind anymore of maybe going bogey-free for a tournament.

Then made a nice par-save from on the next hole from seven or eight feet. I would have liked to have made some birdies coming in, and we did, so that was really fortunate to get that done. Gives me a better chance tomorrow.

Q. Did it feel like you were really treading water there and losing ground?

ADAM SCHENK: It did. I thought I hit a better wedge shot on 10, and it went to 17 feet. Didn't make that.

Just wasn't making any putts, was not hitting anything close. So it was nice to knock one in two on the par-5 and have a nice easy two-putt birdie because that was a tough pin to get to.

Q. Have you ever had a bogey-free tournament?

ADAM SCHENK: No, no. How many people have? There's two that I can remember in the last six years. I remember J.T. Poston did it, and I think there was one more, but I forget who that was.

Q. Was it a bit of a thought, kind of a distraction?

ADAM SCHENK: Not really. I mean, I knew it, and I really thought about it yesterday on 17.

Then I had maybe four, five feet on 18 yesterday for par and made that one. It's funny when you think about a bogey-free round, I feel like on 17 or 18 I always have a four- or five-footer for par, so you try not to think about it, but I knew.

Q. You were thinking about that early today?

ADAM SCHENK: It was just something I was aware of. Didn't change anything. I hit a terrible shot on 12. I believe it was a par-3 I made bogey on. I was just fortunate to have a chance at par.

It was a great putt, and it horseshoed completely up the slope. That putt goes in probably eight or nine times out of ten, but not that one.

Q. Did you look at the board at any point and see what was going on because guys were -- I mean, it's packed now.

ADAM SCHENK: I saw Denny was shooting really nice. I saw Brendon shot I'm guessing really nice. Probably 64, 65. Alex Smalley shot 62 or something. That was really good. That's really good today.

Q. Was it tough today?

ADAM SCHENK: Tougher, but not as -- not as difficult as if it was fast and firm, so the greens are very receptive. 9-under... soft, firm, no matter what, that's great golfing.

Q. How do you feel in your position, having been in the heat as often as you have been in the heat? Do you feel ready to...

ADAM SCHENK: Yeah, in a sense it's not up to me if I win. I will go out and play the best I can. If someone shoots another 62, they'll probably win. If I shoot 62, then I'll probably win.

However many things go my way, if I make a couple of putts, hit a couple of wedges, close chip-in, if I have some great things happen, then I think I'll have a great chance.

If not, that's okay too. We'll learn from it. Those last two birdies are huge because now I have a lot better chance tomorrow.

Q. We've talked about it from the start, expectations for you here. Has that been a distraction? Has that been a thought?

ADAM SCHENK: Not really a distraction. I know the expectations were high, and I know there's a lot of first-time winners here, but I just focus on myself, and I think that's what's propelled me recently to more success. Just blocking out a lot of the noise.

Q. You good at that? You feel like that's a strength?

ADAM SCHENK: I'm pretty good at that. I keep my head down. A little bit of a loner. I like to spend some time by myself, as my wife would say, which I think is healthy.

Q. Well, with Bunker; right?

ADAM SCHENK: Preferably (laughing).