THE SENTRY

January 6, 2024

Harris English

Plantation Course at Kapalua

Quick Quotes

Q. Did it help starting on the back nine today? Kind of the more scorable nine, got off to a hot start there?

HARRIS ENGLISH: I thought so, but then when we got to 10 it was pumping in our face. Different wind than we've seen the past couple days. Thought it was going to play pretty tough today and just got the putter hot. Made a pretty long one on 11. It was just hard to get close to some of those pins. Then, obviously, hitting a stretch of 14, 15, 16, 18 are all really scorable, and got on a good stretch right there and reeled off a lot of birdies. Then eagling 18 making the turn definitely helped things out. But, yeah, it was just making a lot of mid-range putts, controlling the ball really well, hitting a lot of great shots, and giving myself a lot of chances.

Q. What was maybe the difference in the putter today than the first couple days?

HARRIS ENGLISH: I thought I putted -- I was hitting my lines really well the first day, and they just weren't going in. My speed was a little off. I felt like they slowed 'em down a little bit the first day, expecting a good bit of wind. I don't know, just my lines and speed have matched up the last couple days and especially today. That's what it takes is making those 12-, 15-footers, and once you start making a few of 'em you feel like you can make all of 'em, and that's kind of how I felt today.

Q. How much time did you take off during the after I guess RSM to put the clubs away?

HARRIS ENGLISH: I played the Grant Thornton Invitational down in Naples, one of my favorite events. Teamed up this year with Celine Boutier and had a great time. I thought we played really well, didn't make the putts we needed to make. It's an awesome week to see where your game's at. I didn't really take a ton of time off. I did a duck hunting trip with some of my friends out in Missouri, and that was really about it. I've been getting after it pretty hard. I didn't play a whole lot this fall, but kind of playing the back end with the RSM and Grant Thornton I thought was a good prep for getting ready for this week and the start of the West Coast. I'm going to play a lot here out west and thought I would get right back to it.

Q. What were you working on back in Sea Island on your game?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Still some swing stuff here and there. Keeping the club a little bit more in front of me. It's always the same stuff. Feels like since I was 12 years old you're always working on the same stuff, which sounds monotonous, and it seems boring at times, and you want more information, but the more simple can I keep it, Justin and I can keep it, the better I'm swinging it. Really thinking about my start lines, and had a great prep to the week. Not really thinking about much in my golf swing right now. It's been great. These past couple weeks these tournaments have been some of the best I've driven it, which is great for me and can give me a lot of chances to get that putter in the hand.

Q. How much do you think it helps going into tomorrow the fact that you've won here, not because you won, but knowing the routing and the scoring of the course and how things quickly can change and all that stuff?

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, I think I'll be very patient knowing that the front nine definitely plays a couple shots harder than the back nine. The back nine, anything can happen. I remember getting off to a tough start the final round of that 2021 year and got it going on the back nine and played really well coming down the stretch. I think having some of that patience will help tomorrow. Who knows what the lead's going to end up being. I saw Akshay's playing really well, and obviously some of those guys can birdie the last couple holes and make an eagle at 18. So I'll probably be at least three, four back. But I like my chances, I like where I'm at. I'm not sure what the wind's going to be tomorrow, but I'll be ready for it. I'm happy with the last two days and kind of jumping putting myself in contention after a slow start to the lead, 2-under, I feel like I was in last place, but coming out and being in the top 10, having a chance tomorrow is awesome. That's kind of how I wanted this week to draw up.

Q. Anything else to add?

HARRIS ENGLISH: It's playing how it should out there. It's windy, it's tricky, got some good pins, it's a lot of fun. I know everybody's having a lot of fun this week and it's probably the best shape I've ever seen it.

Q. And you're getting money at the end of the week.

HARRIS ENGLISH: Yeah, and we're getting a lot of money. Pretty good place to start out for the year.