RBC CANADIAN OPEN

May 30, 2024

David Hearn

Hamilton Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. The stats would suggest that your success was owed to your putter today, but can you just kind of take us through your round.

DAVID HEARN: Absolutely. It's been a while since I've played a PGA event. I wasn't sure how it was going to be today. I've been practicing really hard playing and preparing. I felt very confident coming into today.

It was a great reception on the 1st hole. Made a birdie on the 1st hole, which always feels good. I made a couple right after that. I was hitting some really good shots early in the round. I put myself in a position, obviously getting off to a good start, and I haven't been in that for a little while.

A little bit loose on the back nine with some of the shots, but my short game definitely kept me in it. Hopefully tomorrow I can make it a bit more routine, hit a few more fairways and greens. We'll see what happens.

I can't be more happy with the way I've started here today.

Q. Is this the longest you've gone without a start?

DAVID HEARN: That's a good question.

Q. I think it's November.

DAVID HEARN: It has to be. I've played a few smaller events here and there trying to stay fresh, a few Monday qualifiers trying to get into stuff.

Yeah, it's probably the longest stretch I've had. It felt good today, though. Hopefully I can build on that, and I'd like to play a few more.

Q. David, you touched on it a little, but how did you prepare for this week knowing that you'd be here playing, but as you said, you haven't been regularly playing?

DAVID HEARN: Fortunately, I've played in enough of these, I have a decent idea where my game needs to be. I tried to play a lot. In the past, I would hit a lot of balls and things like that, but for the past month or so, I've been playing a lot of rounds. I was practicing and doing the other aspects as well, but I tried to really get into trying to hit the shot shapes that I need to compete.

Fortunately for me, this golf course, I'm very comfortable around here. I love this golf course. I love playing here. Hopefully I'll hit a few better shots tomorrow and keep it rolling.

Q. How much does it mean to you to be back here, your 20th Canadian Open, so close to your hometown?

DAVID HEARN: Yeah, it means a real lot to me. To be able to be out there today and making birdies and some of those great par saves. I've got my three kids out there walking around. It's pretty special.

I've played in a lot of these, but for my kids to have those memories of a round like today is pretty special. Hopefully I'll keep making a few more birdies and a few more memories.

Q. How old are your kids?

DAVID HEARN: They're 11, 9, and 7.

Q. You pulled them out of school especially just because here?

DAVID HEARN: In Florida, we're done with school.

Q. I didn't know that.

DAVID HEARN: Summer starts early.

Q. How long have you been back in Ontario?

DAVID HEARN: I got back on the weekend.

Q. So you've been playing down in Florida?

DAVID HEARN: Correct, yeah.

Q. I just wondered if you could comment on 28 Canadians in the field, and the two lowest guys are you and Weirsy.

DAVID HEARN: How about that? Maybe experience still has something. That's great. I didn't know that was the case. I saw Weirsy was off to a great start today, so that was good to see.

It's incredible to think there's 28 Canadians playing here. I commented a little bit earlier how I remember going to the Canadian Open as a kid, and I remember learning so much watching from the players. There weren't that many Canadians on the TOUR at that time. For the young players of the game today in Canada to have that many role models to look up to, it's pretty special.

Obviously Weirsy and I, that's a great start. We've got three more rounds to follow it up with, so we'll see what we can do. There's a lot of talent all the way top to bottom with Canadians right now. It's a pretty special time right now in Canadian golf.

Q. Would your mindset be any different tomorrow just given the fact you haven't played in so long? Will you be a little bit more conservative, thinking I really want to play the weekend because I haven't played a weekend in so long?

DAVID HEARN: It would be nice to play all four days obviously, but my mindset won't change much from how I came in today. My game plan wasn't overly aggressive coming into today. The changes to this golf course and the way I mapped it out in my head the way that I know I can play this golf course. Keeping the ball in the middle of the green is going to be a premium and trying to make putts from the center.

It seems like, with all the little runoffs and bumps they put around the edges, that's where you kind of get into trouble. My mindset won't change. My game plan won't change. Hopefully I'll just execute a few better iron shots tomorrow.

Like I said, I couldn't be happier with my short game and putter today.