LIV GOLF CHICAGO

September 23, 2023

Sebastian Munoz

Rich Harvest Farms

Torque GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Sebastian Muñoz from Torque GC. You had an incredible day today, currently solo leader. You shot 8-under today, and I believe you had two eagles out there. Tell us a little bit about your round.

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: Great round. Got off to a hot start birdieing the first three and then on 5 just hit two perfect shots, and then it was tough to kind of keep my emotions in check a little bit, and then eagled No. 10. It was just hot. It was nice.

THE MODERATOR: You told me yesterday what you needed to do today to get out there ahead of the pack. You just needed to go and make a bunch of birdies. You did that. What do you need to do tomorrow other than make a bunch of birdies to keep that three-shot lead that you have and maybe grow it a little bit even more?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: Yeah, I wish I had a better answer, but make a ton of birdies because they're coming tomorrow.

Q. When you finished second in Orlando, you rallied from three strokes down going into the final round; now you're three strokes ahead. What will be the different mindset going into tomorrow versus Orlando, obviously?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: Yeah, I don't want to take care of the lead because I don't have good experiences with that in the past. I just want to pretty much set the tone hopefully early.

It's going to be tough. It's going to be challenging, especially me talking about it now, but I'm going to do what I've been doing, kind of keeping fresh, keeping calm and hopefully putts drop.

Q. Talk about the second shot at 5.

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: Yeah, 123. Hit a 50-degree. Me and my caddie were talking either go left, then at the end we just said, go at it, and it was awesome because I hadn't made one in a while, so it was cool to see.

Q. Do you feel like your 63 today is the best round since when for you?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: Probably kind of matches the one in Orlando. I feel like there's some tricky pins out there, there's some tricky shots. I couldn't avoid bogey free, but -- I made a bogey, so it wasn't as clean as I would have wished, but it's looking good and feeling good, and I think it was good.

Q. When you got here this week, did you feel like this was a course you were going to do well at, that you felt comfortable with and felt --

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: I had fond memories of this place, so it just clicks. It just put me, I think, in a good mental state. Yeah, I didn't know I was going to go this low; of course not. Especially after I was 5-under today through 5, there was no way I would have believed I was 10-under through 23 holes.

Yeah, it's just one of those surprises that I'll take gladly.

Q. My question is about your putter. Have you always been using that LA Golf putter, or is that new?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: It's called a L.A.B. putter. I've been using it, I think the first tournament was Spain, Andalucía, right after the U.S. Open. I had a little issue with my other putter and it didn't arrive on time, so I tried the L.A.B. putter, and it's been working awesome.

Q. In Orlando, you had 59 on your mind that day. Did it creep in there today at all?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: No, just because it's a tough place to shoot 59. I felt like -- I don't know what the par is, 72?

Q. 71.

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: I guess I could have, but as you said, the one on 11 burned the edge, the one on 12 burned the edge, and I had bogey on 13 so that killed it pretty quick. But to that point the dream was still alive.

Q. The guys have commented on how much softer the course is playing this year. Have you changed your approach to the course at all because of that?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: I didn't play last year.

Q. When did you play here before?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: 10 years ago, 2013, collegiate event.

Q. Do you feel like it's playing gettable, approachable?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: Yeah, of course. The soft conditions mainly. You still have to hit a couple 4-irons, 5-irons, but yeah, the ball is stopping pretty quick, so that helps a lot.

Q. You've played a few events out here on this tour. Do you feel like the music helps you stay in a rhythm?

SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ: Yeah, I definitely enjoy the music. I feel like where I struggle is whenever I try to hit little shots with the music pumping just because the adrenaline kind of takes over, but it's something I'm working on and something that I'm aware, but I love the music. I kind of keep going in a rhythm, and it makes the round kind of go faster.