VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

March 21, 2024

Kevin Streelman

Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead)

Quick Quotes

Q. Nice start today. You got to be pleased with that, right?

KEVIN STREELMAN: Yeah, great start. One of those rounds that just kind of got off to the right start, birdieing 11 and then birdieing the other par-5 and then throwing another one in there and kind of got up and down a few times when I needed to. Then got off to a hot start on the back nine birdieing 1, 2, 4. So, yeah, it's kind of what I needed to do, I knew the weather would be solid today, today was going to be the best weather day and then it's going to be hold on to your shorts here for the next few days. So trying to just keep a good attitude and have some fun and it's a heck of a golf course, so be a fun weekend.

Q. Did you see a round like this coming into today?

KEVIN STREELMAN: You don't try and look at it as do I see a round coming, it just kind of like I'm trying to -- I felt some really good feelings on the range this week and in the pro-am, and it's kind of cool little new ball marker I'm using that is legal that can kind of give you some visual cues that I think is pretty helpful, I was using that today which I think kind of helped as well. But, yeah, it was one of those, the per just felt great and I saw the lines and was rolling it great and was able to drop some putts.

Q. To clarify this is the first time you used this ball mark?

KEVIN STREELMAN: It is. I used it in the pro-am and Tuesday. Kind of sticks into the ground, so it doesn't move, obviously, from its location, but can you spin the top where the line is and then you kind of get back and you see where it looks good and then you can kind of put your line in lunch with that line and so you know it's kind of what you were seeing from behind. So very simple. I'm not even sure they put 'em in our locker. I went to the rules guys and said is this league legal and they called USGA and said yeah, so I was like, all right. I putted well with it.

Q. Do you have it with you?

KEVIN STREELMAN: My caddie does, right there.

Q. Can't have any part of your game off at a course like this, but what were you particularly strong at today?

KEVIN STREELMAN: My irons. Wedges and irons felt great. I got up and down three or four times on the back to kind of keep the flow going. Birdied all the par-5s and got up and down when I missed greens and made some putts when I did.

Q. Did you know it was Karl's birthday today?

KEVIN STREELMAN: I did. I saw the cup cakes in the locker room. I did see that.

Q. Did you have one?

KEVIN STREELMAN: No, but I'm thing of grabbing one.

Q. You said it's your son's birthday today?

KEVIN STREELMAN: My son turns eight tomorrow. When I left him at the airport Sunday of PLAYERS and he realized I wasn't going to be there for his birthday is when he started crying. And, oh, I feel so bad, but that's my buddy. He'll get to open the present or two tonight and then I'll be on FaceTime tomorrow with him. It's a bummer, but part of the job.

Q. Feels like this is the best side of the draw, assuming the rain is enough that can you play through it tomorrow in terms of this side of the draw?

KEVIN STREELMAN: I haven't looked at the honor to be honest. But does it look really bad in the afternoon.

Q. I was thinking about the size of the field and can't get everyone through I think the last is on number 11 right now?

KEVIN STREELMAN: Oh, really.

Q. Do you have any thoughts on that, on what they have done the next couple weeks I think in terms of?

KEVIN STREELMAN: Elevating the fields?

Q. Just the start and it's also a pretty good track?

KEVIN STREELMAN: I mean, I understand it, it's a tough situation. I think when you take away the number of starts and Signature Events of places we're accustomed to playing, it just leaves a lot of guys out so doing all we can to give the new guys as many opportunities as possible, but at the same time 155, 160-player fields isn't ideal to get around. So, hopefully this is kind of one time thing, we can kind of figure it out through the end of the season but yeah, there needs to be some adjustments made.

Q. I always remember listening to guys talk about last year being this bridge year to get to where we're going, it almost feels like it's still building, if you will?

KEVIN STREELMAN: Yeah, I would agree. We didn't know what -- I guess the key was you didn't know how many of the signature guys would play none Signature Events, I think that is what we're finding out. A lot of those guys want to play more than they said they were going to play or maybe the tour figured they were going to play. So I think that's probably where they're finding these loss of opportunities for the young guys.

Q. Did you fill out a bracket?

KEVIN STREELMAN: Oh, yeah.

Q. Duke as your?

KEVIN STREELMAN: No. I've done it the last three or four years, they have let me down. It's big, we do it wasn't our family, the four of us, and there's a lot on the line, so I needed to put my heart into this one.

Q. Does your son fill one out, too?

KEVIN STREELMAN: Oh, yeah. My daughter won. She solely picked on the colors and the mascots and she won 91 percent of the first round last year. Absolutely smoked us all.

Q. What does she get for that?

KEVIN STREELMAN: She gets to pick dinner, where we go to dinner as a family.

Q. Where did she pick?

KEVIN STREELMAN: She picked Ling's Wok Shop. A big hot spot near us.

Q. Chick-fil-A?

KEVIN STREELMAN: My son would do Chipotle and she would do Ling's, but I would do Mastro's, but...