AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 15, 2023

Joe Pavelski

Edgewood Tahoe

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Joe, you're hanging in there. Couple of highlights from the round.

JOE PAVELSKI: Definitely felt good out there today. Hit the ball better right from the start. Kind of just felt a better groove. Didn't hit anything super close like yesterday, didn't have as many early putts for birdies but poured a few in. Stuck with it. It was just an awesome round out there. The crowd was amazing.

Obviously you play Steph out here, you're going to draw a few more people around you. So it was pretty cool, especially with the build-up to the hole-in-one there. It was a pretty good moment.

Q. Steph is the story, and he's not going to be -- tomorrow he's going to be in a different -- something he's not experienced at this event or a golf event, in a major golf event, anyway. So what's your sense of how he might handle that?

JOE PAVELSKI: You know what, the times I've gotten to play with him I enjoy playing with him. He swings it great. He's smooth out there. Nothing's rushed, and he's played really good this year. Every year he hasn't been in this position, but you feels like he has a game, too.

Got off to a really good start yesterday. Had a couple of big holes today. He's put himself in a good position. So it was just trying to keep pace with him there for a while and take care of your game, make a few birdies along the way, don't do anything stupid, just try to stay within striking distance.

He hit a lot of great shots out there, and we were able to get a few birdies at the end to climb a little closer.

Q. You were under pressure in a big place, big spot last year, is that going to give you an edge tomorrow?

JOE PAVELSKI: I don't know. We're not in this every day. I was talking with color after the first tee and stuff. We talk about the nerves. You play one tournament a year, two tournaments a year, those feelings are real and they're fun that they come, and you try to fight through them and trust your game is good enough.

When you're in that moment, you're usually just hitting the ball well enough and you can trust it, go from there. You try to match up the lines with the speeds out there and not do anything too crazy because the ball can definitely get away from you on the greens, and was able to make a few putts there at the end. It was a good day, and I look forward to tomorrow.

Q. Your confidence level will be where going into tomorrow?

JOE PAVELSKI: It's good. It's solid, the game felt really good today so we'll just try to keep that going and hit it a little bit closer and try to get on a little bit of a run. Felt like yesterday when I made those three birdies in a row, 4 and 6, you start getting the momentum going. If we can put a little stretch together, put pressure on the other guys, it was something that will build and it will be fun coming down 18.

Q. What's your preparation going to be for tomorrow?

JOE PAVELSKI: Probably not what it should be. Have a little fun, just enjoy Tahoe and this event. But there is definitely -- it will be in the back of your mind. You want to play good. You work hard to get into this position, and it's fun. You want to go out and play a good game. I'm sure we'll be jumping in the lake at some point tonight.

Q. Have you been able to get out and enjoy this area?

JOE PAVELSKI: Yes, a little bit, for sure. We spent a decent amount of time in the water last night, been to a few of the events. It's just beautiful.

Q. Walk us through Steph on 7 and the hole-in-one. We heard the expression, the noise across the entire course. What was it like for you witnessing that? Just give us your personal account.

JOE PAVELSKI: Leading up to it, I think I made one birdie on 2 and then from there I don't know if we really made a birdie. On 6 Steph hit one really tight, and Killer made a nice putt, and I made a birdie as well. We had a little bit of momentum. Steph steps up there and it looks great. It's hard to tell, just elevated enough. You see it land and it disappears.

It was pretty cool in those moments just kind of the chaos that happens after. We're trying to get to Steph. He's excited, he spins out of it and takes off. He's got some good speed on him. (Laughter).

Q. What did you tell him?

JOE PAVELSKI: I don't remember. We didn't get to talk to him for a while. He hit, what was it, probably 150 -- whatever it was, he took off. Did a lap. Once he came back, it was pretty good. It was special to see.

I saw Moe's double eagle a year ago or whatever it was. And this one was pretty cool. Especially with the crowd and Saturday out there. You could feel just there's as many people as ever out here.

Q. Felt like Sunday at Augusta out there?

JOE PAVELSKI: It was awesome. On 8 people were asking what happened, talking to them after we got on the tee box. It was a pretty cool roar that I'm sure was heard all around the course.

Q. On skates you might have beat him.

JOE PAVELSKI: I don't know. He spent some time in Toronto. So he's got a little -- I know he likes to game a little bit. We got all around him. He pivoted and was gone and like you see on TV when you're watching him play.