KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 24, 2024

Frank Esposito

Quick Quotes

Harbor Shores

Q. PGA of America Golf Professional Frank Esposito joins us now at the 84th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Frank, even today; 3-under overall. How you feeling after your first 36?

FRANK ESPOSITO: Feel pretty good. Haven't been playing great and the putter -- I made a putter change on the way to the van yesterday morning to go to the first hole, so it worked out. Even my caddie said, nice change after the round was done.

Yeah, played nice. The golf course, I know the golf course. Been here a few times. Today was a little more difficult. Got a little breezier and firmed up a bit, but all in all it was good.

Q. You've been at this a long time. What do these weeks mean to you? How much do you get up for a tournament like this?

FRANK ESPOSITO: You try not to get up for it because it comes -- these guys out here, you watch -- I played with Langer in the practice round. They go about it like -- it's funny, they don't think of as -- it's just another week to them.

To me it means more. I don't do it often. I have a real job. So try not to get up and just try to do what I do like when I'm playing at home in section tournaments and not try to get overwhelmed with everything.

Q. And I think it had been a decade since making the cut in this event. What does it mean to you to be able to play on the weekend?

FRANK ESPOSITO: I was counting the holes coming in figuring out when I can bogey every hole and finish even. When I got to the 17th tee I told my wife, I had a tear in my eye, I was like, uh-oh. Means a lot. It really does.

Like you said, you keep looking at the board and that was ten years ago. These things are hard to make cuts in. These guys are really, really, really good. Very excited for the weekend.

Q. So are they going to stop business in Caldwell, New Jersey?

FRANK ESPOSITO: No, definitely not. Got a lot of fans over there though. I'm excited to see my phone. A lot of fans.

Q. I'm a Livingston guy.

FRANK ESPOSITO: Are you now? Yeah, I live in Florham Park, right next door.

Q. What do you think of this golf course? Obviously how does it fit your eye?

FRANK ESPOSITO: It's pretty good off the tee. I mean, it gives you ample driving area. It's hitting into the greens. The greens got all these little nooks and crannies and you hit on wrong side everything works away from the hole, so it's tough to get the ball close.

I don't know if it fits. I don't know if any course fits my game. I just get up there and hit it hard, try to hit it hard.

Q. That's how we learned to play golf.

FRANK ESPOSITO: That's it. Yeah, swing, hard you might hit it. Told my kids that.

Q. So you talked about having a real job outside of this. Was that ever a struggle as far as preparations go for a tournament like this?

FRANK ESPOSITO: No. No, not really. I learned to compartment -- what am I trying to say? Forget that word. Years ago when I was a head pro I could really kind of set my mind away from work when I'm not there.

You know, at my age, I can't practice as much as I used to. You do short game, putting, but can't putt that much because your bending over. I don't hit as many balls. I go there and try to hit some shots at the club, every day do something golf related just to stay loose.

Yeah, that's it.

Q. Take us through the putter change on the way heading out to the round yesterday.

FRANK ESPOSITO: I played on Monday in the Senior Open qualifier at Point O' Woods and I putted so poorly. So when Callaway was here I was like, huh, let me try a new putter. It's one of those long, heavy putters and I putted pretty good with it.

I was like all right. Then when I was putting to warm up the greens got faster and this thing was heavy and I was like, I don't think I can do this out in.

So I was like I'm making a putter change. My caddie looked at my like I had three heads. Went right in my locker as we were walking and switched it. It's a little lighter a littler shorter and I got better feel with it.

Q. Conventional length?

FRANK ESPOSITO: Yeah.

Q. Like a mallet or a blade?

FRANK ESPOSITO: It's the Rossie. It's like the Jon Rahm putter.

Q. What did you think of Point O' Woods?

FRANK ESPOSITO: Great golf course. Loved it. Pretty cool golf course. Reminds me of home. In the woods. It's got trees. A lot of the golf courses now are getting rid of all their trees. That has a lot of trees and reminds me of old school at home.

Very good.

Q. Playing-wise, couple highlights from the past few days? What stood out to you in your game?

FRANK ESPOSITO: Drove it pretty well. You know, I drove it pretty well and made some nice putts, which was nice to see.

Like I said, I haven't been putting great. Made some nice putts. Got away with some squirrelly shots. Made some good up and downs.

Typical golf: hit it, chase it, and try to make the best out of the hole. I had a great group. Marco Dawson and Tim Petrovic, they were great.

Q. Goal for the weekend?

FRANK ESPOSITO: No. You know, just do what I do and see how the chips fall. You know, it's nice to make the weekend. Making a check. Whoo-hoo. Very excited.