U.S. ADAPTIVE OPEN

July 9, 2024

Brendan Lawlor

Sand Creek Station

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Brendan Lawlor. 4-under round of 68 today. Can you characterize and compare today's round versus yesterday's round?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, it was kind of very similar, both days. I played really well one nine and then really bad the next. I kind of done that today as well.

We started on 1 today and I just couldn't get it going. Kind of missing a lot of shots left again and getting really good up and downs.

And then came to the 9th and made a birdie on 9 to go 1-under for the front nine and was 3 on the back nine. So I played really solid golf. Probably left two or three on the front nine out there as well from inside seven, eight feet.

But happy. It puts me in a position. Kipp has a pretty big lead, I know, but we're playing together, anything can happen. Hopefully it gets really windy or something overnight and it'll be a good test tomorrow.

Q. Talk about your four birdies. Did you hit your approach shots close? Make some long putts? How did those go?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, birdie on 9 was six feet.

Birdie on -- I birdied 2 and 3 from inside six feet as well.

Birdied 17 as well from about six feet. So I put them all pretty close.

Apart from that, I was missing greens, getting up and down. So kind of a mixed bag of stuff today.

Q. You mentioned you're going to be in the final pairing with Kipp who you know well. You're friendly rivals I guess we could say.

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah.

Q. How important do you think it is to be in the last group with at person you're chasing?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, hundred percent. If I can get off on a run pretty early and put a bit of pressure on. Hopefully I can run down Kipp a wee bit. If I can go 3- or 4-under after the first six or seven holes, put a bit of pressure on, anything can happen.

The pressure is on Kipp tomorrow, not me. I'm going to go out and play my game and try and chase it.

Q. Can you remember another tournament or situation where you had a big comeback and were able to win?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, the Open actually. Not the last Open, the one before. Kipp was three ahead of me playing -- I think we had nine to go. I ended up winning by a shot.

So he gets me, I get him, he gets me. We flip. So, no, it's going to be a good day tomorrow.

Q. Can you overall talk about this experience, first U.S. Adaptive Open playing in the U.S., a lot different from what you're used to. Just overall, how do you put the week so far?

BRENDAN LAWLOR: Yeah, it's been incredible. The hospitality, how the event is organized. It's pretty special. We have the equivalent of this in Ireland called The Open run by the R&A, and it's very, very similar. Has a really spotlight on every player. I think that's very important for the game as well. Not just focus on the elite side; it's focused on everybody and they've done an incredible job.