SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP

October 6, 2023

Ford Clegg

Country Club of Jackson

Quick Quotes

Q. Ford, your TOUR debut in Mississippi, and now you have made a cut on the PGA TOUR. Can you kind of tell me how you're feeling right now?

FORD CLEGG: Yeah, it's awesome. It's a dream come true. I definitely got the call on Friday and was super pumped, but I also wanted to take advantage of my opportunity.

No one wants to play their first start and miss the cut, so even shooting even, bogeying the last hole yesterday, I was a little down last night, but we had a good family dinner and I just told myself, come out tomorrow, give it all you see and we'll see what happens. It was fun. It's awesome.

Q. Your dad on the bag for your debut on the PGA TOUR. That's got to be a really special feeling.

FORD CLEGG: Yeah, it was awesome. He's caddied for me a good bit, both my U.S. Amateurs. Last year in the match we got penalized for slow play almost. It was nice that we were fast today. But it's fun for him to be right there. Got some family here, too, which is awesome for everyone to get to be a part of it.

Q. I saw your sisters, grandparents, girlfriend. Seems like everybody is here. For them to be here to support you and then for you to deliver and play some really, really good golf, it must be kind of hard to put into words how you're feeling right now.

FORD CLEGG: Yeah, no, it really is. I'm still trying to process it right now. Part of me wants to go celebrate and another part of me knows I've got 36 holes left and I need to focus. Trying to keep the moment pretty calm and enjoy Sunday night.

Q. How were you feeling on 18 tee? Obviously you're above the cut line, but I'm sure there's some thoughts going through your head.

FORD CLEGG: Yeah, really once I hit the tee ball on 16, water left, it's not the easiest tee ball, but once I hit that one, I felt good. Coming up on 18, I was good to go.

Q. Is there anything that you've learned about yourself through the first 36 holes in your first TOUR start?

FORD CLEGG: Yeah, I mean, I know I can compete out here. It's reassuring for sure. I've played well. I've played with a lot of the top players in college that have done well. PGA TOUR U, I've seen them come win or make cuts this summer. So knowing I'm close, they may do it more consistently than I am, but I know I can compete with them, so it's very reassuring. A lot of confidence going forward.

Q. On to the weekend; are you going to just stick with the same mentality you had for the first 36?

FORD CLEGG: Yep, nothing is going to change. I hope I hear a lot of "Hail States" tomorrow. It's fun being around Mississippi State fans, as well. A lot of support out here, which is fun.

Q. Just comment on the round specifically. 65 is a great round of golf.

FORD CLEGG: Yeah, I got asked yesterday, what do I need to clean up, what do I need to work on, and it was par-5s. I made birdies on all four of them today, pars yesterday, and that's kind of the momentum out here.

I didn't necessarily hit my tee balls in the fairway on those holes, but I trusted my wedges, got out, hit them close, made the putts. Just real solid all day. No real holes. It was great.