THE 151ST OPEN

July 22, 2023

Byeong Hun An

Mixed Zone

BYEONG HUN AN: I struggled the first year we worked together. Yeah, he's been a big part of my team. I keep saying to everyone that he's been a big help for me to come back from losing my card from the Korn Ferry TOUR.

I feel like I'm hitting a lot better than what I did a couple years ago, five, six, seven years ago. Feel as though I'm playing -- I've still got a long ways to go, but I feel like my game is getting better and better every year. We've worked really hard, mechanically, mentally, as well.

He's been a big help, just not with my golf swing but in everything else that I do on the golf course.

Q. What are some of the things that you find yourself being able to do now because of these changes that you've made that you maybe were struggling to do?

BYEONG HUN AN: I hit it a lot farther so I can carry more bunkers. Somehow we got the ball speed. I was about 172, 173, now it's about 180 to 182. That's about 10 yards of gain without me trying to hit it hard or anything, just making little swing changes.

Golf is a lot easier when you can hit it farther. I'm hitting it a little farther and that makes it easier, but just the mindset on the golf course, we talk about swings a little bit, but we've been doing the same stuff for two years almost. We don't really go back and forth or anything. We just kind of stay in the middle range and try and do the same stuff and work on it.

Just the other side, just about the mindset to have on the golf course, and that's been helping me, I guess, so the last couple events. Especially this year, I feel very comfortable on the golf course.

I don't lose my mind completely like before.

It's been a big help.

Q. When it comes to mindset, is there anything you turn to or any mantras or anything that helps you feel comfortable and get in a place where you feel like you're playing your best and you're in your best place mentally?

BYEONG HUN AN: Yeah, I usually get beaten by the golf course a lot. Golf you play against other players, but most of the time you lose to yourself, to the golf course.

I don't feel like I'm doing that as much as before, and like you said, there's a long ways to go. It's not perfect.

I still have to work very hard on it, but I guess the more you work on it, you'll get better and easier to do.

I feel like especially when it comes to courses like here when it's pretty tough, windy, rainy, that mindset helps a lot, I think, to be able to come back from some bogeys out there. I think it's been a big help.

Q. When you say battling the golf course or beaten by the golf course, that's like an unlucky break that turns into a two, three-hole stretch, that's the kind of stuff you're mentally able to get --

BYEONG HUN AN: Yeah, definitely, especially here. You see those bounces can go in the bunkers, can kick into the bunkers. So many things can happen.

It's just so hard -- you can let that go to your head, but it happens so easily to any player. I think that's the biggest factor playing the links golf, I think, the weather and the course bounces. It's not perfect. It kicks. You have to get lucky, but also you have to almost kind of let it go, like what are you going to do next.