PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 16, 2024

Tom Hoge

Valhalla Golf Club

Flash Quotes

Q. How do you summarize today for us?

TOM HOGE: A little bit of a slow start, tough holes on the back nine, and we had a little bit of rain. 18, the wind kind of laid down there and really felt like it was as good of conditions as we were going to get here and going to make some birdies.

Q. Talk about the birdies. Eight birdies, can you take us through some of them?

TOM HOGE: I felt like I took care of all the par 5s well. It was three of them there.

And then I birdied 17, kind of got me going. I would say the 6-iron on 17 came off down the hill and made a nice putt, but other than that just a lot of good mid-iron, long iron shots in, and made a couple nice putts.

But I felt like I drove it well all day, so I was constantly having those mid- to long irons and got in a little groove towards the end of my round.

Q. Different fairways on this golf course, people are talking about long hitters because of the rain and all that. I think there's more to it than that. What worked for you here on this type of golf course?

TOM HOGE: Last week was long for us, Quail Hollow but the greens were super firm.

So I felt like that played more into the long hitters there because you had to have a high ball flight coming into the greens but with the greens soft here this week, I feel like anybody can get around here, as long as you drive it in the fairway, you'll have some opportunities.

Q. Being in contention on a Thursday, is that good? What feeling is that, and what makes you -- you see for the next three days?

TOM HOGE: It's a great start. Kind of watched Xander do this last week as well where he goes out and makes a lot of birdies. I'll have to keep playing well and make a lot of putts here the next few days.