JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 4, 2024

Kevin Chappell

TPC Deere Run

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Bogey-free 7-under. How would you assess your opening round?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, it was nice having an early tee time like that and feel like I was present all day, and in it and controlling my golf ball was great.

Always nice when it feels good and adds up to a good score.

Q. What's the mindset when you know scores are possibly going low? How do you attack going into the round?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Just kind of trying to take care of my stuff, do the best I can on every hole, be present, and hit the shot I chose and accept what happens.

Q. Were you watching the leaderboard at all this morning out there?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Not really. I figured scores would be low. It's pretty soft, ball in hand, no wind, but making birdies it's -- can't be moving too far in the wrong direction on the leaderboard.

Q. How much different did the course play today as opposed to the practice rounds?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, so I hadn't played since Tuesday midday. I wasn't in the pro-am yesterday.

So it was much different. Unfortunately, very familiar for how we've seen this course play in the past.

I was really excited when it was firm and fast out there Monday and Tuesday, and it's obviously still in great shape. A little bummer it's playing so soft.

Q. Not a lot of run-out today, receptive?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, greens are receptive, fairways play much wider because the ball is hitting and plugging. Take those two factors and ball in hand, you're going to see some low scores.

Q. We haven't seen you since RBC Canadian Open. What have you been up to?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Took a vacation. Feel like this is a loaded question. (Laughter.)

No, we're real close with the Kisners. They were kind enough to have us to their mountain house. We spent two weeks there. One of the weeks without them we watched their kids, which was fun. We got to experience having five kids for a few days and got to spent the better after of a week with them before hitting the road.

Q. Are you usually pretty good coming back off a break like that?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: I haven't had much of a choice lately. I haven't got to pick a schedule in a few years. I play when I get in it. I've tried to stay sharp and been really enjoying playing the game, enjoying practicing, so that helps.

I think that showed with my play today.

Q. A season like that when you're not able to decide your schedule, how do you define success for yourself?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: I'm still out here to win, out here to compete. I generally feel as good as I have felt in years, and think my best golf could be ahead of me because of that. I just haven't seen it.

It's hard to hold onto that hope when you're not seeing the results. Rounds like today are great. Played good final round at the CJ CUP, which felt like I was going to have some momentum and haven't seen any momentum since then.

But a good round today is awesome, and something to build off and something I can really feel like can project me forward into some good results.

Q. What makes you hold onto that hope?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: I mean, it's my job, so it's how I feed my family. I think I am driven right now by having my kids getting older. A lot my success happened when they were young and they don't have memories of.

I would love for them to have memories of dad playing good golf not packing the car up on Fridays. I think that's what drives my right now. Continue to provide, do something I really enjoy. I am getting to live my dream. 30 years of this, getting to play professional golf or work towards playing professional golf.

So even the bad days can't be that bad. That's the ultimate goal, is to show them that hard work pays off and there could be success there, especially though there has been years where there hasn't been.

Q. How old are your kids?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: Nine, seven, and three.

Q. How much difficult is it to get the schedule you want to get with the new schedule the way things are these days? Is it like throwing darts?

KEVIN CHAPPELL: For me I'm playing out of the past champions category, and fortunate to have some support from events that I supported. Phoenix Open gave me a sponsor invite this year; Valero gave me a sponsor invite this year; and Zurich gave Jason Dufner and I a sponsor invite this year.

To get those starts was huge. Made a couple cuts there in those events that allowed me to have some FedExCup points so I was able to make a little bit more of a schedule than I would've been able to.

There is no picking and choosing anymore for are a guy in my position. You play when you get in. Might equal playing five in a row which I haven't done in years, but I look forward to the challenge and more opportunities.