THE G4D OPEN

May 15, 2024

Brendan Lawlor

Mixed Zone

Q. Under par, good start. Pleased with 1-under?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, a hums. It was tough enough out there. A lot more bouncier than last year. You really have to hit the shots. Fairways have a lot of run-off area. Happy enough. It's a marathon not a sprint. So just keep myself in there going into the next few days.

Q. I saw a bogey early doors, but is it that kind of tough start that you've maybe struggled with?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, big time. Hit a good shot, parred the first and was happy and said to my caddie, if I'm one over after three, it's not a bad thing because there's a lot of chances coming in the back nine. So I was happy enough.

I bogeyed the second and a string of pars. Birdied 10 and then I kind of went bogey, birdie, bogey, birdie on the back nine. Dropped one, made one. Happy with the start.

Q. A course you're familiar with?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: I love this place. Good feelings around here. Obviously I won last year but feel like I hit it pretty well off the tee. Like you have to hit it well off the tee here. Greens are very hard to putt on. Missed a lot of putts today. Could have been probably 4- or 5-under if I holed my fair share but happy enough to start.

Q. Three behind Kipp. Are we coming up to face another dual, do you think, like last year?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: I think so. Like 4-under out there is super shooting, incredible. He does have to put it on for three days. Yeah, 4-under is great shooting, but I feel like I have that in me with tomorrow. I was happy with the under par round.

Q. Bit different to last year, course played a little bit easier than last year?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: I wouldn't say easier, no, because it's really hard off the tee. Greens are a little bit firm expert fairways are a bit firmer. But last year, if you pulled it slightly, it was plugging but this year it's kind of running off into the rough. So I'd say it's actually a wee bit harder than last year. Big time.

Q. Give us a flavour of how you feel it is being here, the whole stage management?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, I couldn't get over it when we walked in yesterday, it was just seeing all the faces on the boards. Even the fine details like your name on the range, the guys at the R&A, DP World have stepped up this year and I haven't heard one person complain about being here, so it's a great event.