AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 12, 2024

Mardy Fish

Adam Thielen

Edgewood Tahoe

Press Conference

Q. Adam, take us through your round. You had an eagle on 16?

ADAM THIELEN: You wouldn't want to see the picture on that scorecard. It was a little bit sporadic, little up-and-down, just tried to fight through it. Makes it easy playing with a guy like this that is so consistent and good tempo, makes good shots all day. So definitely helped me with my mindset and just kind of sticking with it.

Q. Your eighth year here. Your best finish is tied for fourth in '22. You seem to be getting better every year. The odds on you keep looking better every year from the casinos before the tournament starts. How much are you working on your game?

ADAM THIELEN: Well, I love the game of golf so I try to work on it as much as I can. I don't get to play a whole lot with three young kids. But try to get time in a simulator, try to work on my game as much as I can, especially leading up to this week.

It's my favorite event of the year and favorite thing with my wife to come out here and spend time in Tahoe and compete against these guys, there's nothing better.

Q. Your chances of winning, you've been kind of in the shadows a little bit over the last few years and then coming up, you look like an up-and-comer for this thing?

ADAM THIELEN: I don't think you'd say that if you saw me play today. Mardy's probably laughing, but definitely trying to, trying to play my best. Obviously have to work on some things. But it was good to be able to put points up even though I didn't hit the ball great.

Q. Five birdies, Mardy with five birdies today. You had three, I think, and an eagle. Not a bad round. You got a lot of points out of those holes. That's what you need to do to win this thing.

ADAM THIELEN: I think just having that mindset of being aggressive and trying to make birdies because you can make up for some bad shots if you can just make some birdies. Obviously the eagle's huge. That's a game-changer. Just trying to put yourself in position to capitalize on those eagle-birdie holes.

Q. Mardy, nice round. This is your 11th year here, congratulations on that. We had a little discussion about that yesterday.

MARDY FISH: Thank you.

Q. Five birdies today and three consecutive on 10, 11, 12. Those are some pretty good holes to birdie.

MARDY FISH: I got lucky on 12. That pin is a tough pin either when you're on the side of it pin high or he was above it, which is impossible to get. You've got to make a 15-foot putt just to 2-putt that. Jake was in the bunker and was probably in a better position than maybe all of us.

And my putt on that hole just stopped and sort of took a left-hand turn and went right in the middle, like sort of at 1:00, which doesn't happen often. So a couple of lucky ones. Bad swing on the next hole, which I think was 13. It doubled there. Apart from that hole, I played solid. Get that hole back. Maybe the last swing on 18 there and 9-iron in my hand and pushed it a tiny bit right in the corner of the water there. So it could have been better. It could have been worse but happy with 23. Usually I'm coming in here at like 15, 16, 17, stuff like that. Very pleased with 23.

Q. Speaking of number 12 today. You heard that Tim Brown aced it. Won a nice boat.

MARDY FISH: If drinks weren't free it would be a big payday for him.

Q. What are you thinking about tomorrow, Mardy? You've been in this position so many times. You're obviously pretty comfortable, confident.

MARDY FISH: We've played this so many times now. We know the golf course front and back. And it's kind of just executing and making as many birdies as you can. Obviously I don't really look at my score as much as, like, how many, okay, I had two birdies through eight holes today or I had five -- I guess 5 through 12, which set up for going backwards. You try not to go backwards. That's really sort of the main part. Even trying to figure out how to make bogey on that hole, on 13 where I doubled. You can't go backwards. As many birdies as you can, you can't go backwards.

Q. Adam, first time, I think, you've been in the lead in this tournament. What are you thinking tonight? Any more nerves or --

MARDY FISH: He's going to bed really early.

ADAM THIELEN: I think just trying to visualize the shots that I hit really well. I had a lot of early great shots out there, mixed in with a lot of really bad swings. I know what it is. It's just natural for me to get really quick and anxious at the top of my golf swing.

I have a little bit of a meathead in me where I want to hit the ball really far. I have to avoid that tomorrow and just try to play my game and take it one hole at a time.

Q. Adam, you shot a 23 today.

MARDY FISH: 24. He had 24.

Q. Before that, your best was a 20. This was your best score on opening day. You had 18 in 2022. So obviously you're feeling more comfortable. You like the weather better, better guys to play with? Round of balls?

MARDY FISH: Gotta be the guys he played with.

ADAM THIELEN: Must have been Mardy and Jake. Honestly, it does make a big difference when you play with guys like that that hit the ball so well.

MARDY FISH: Stuck with Steph.

ADAM THIELEN: Made me less nervous because Steph wasn't here. But, yeah, it definitely helps playing with these guys, just their consistency, and then just trying to learn from past years of, like, hey, you're going to hit bad shots but you've got to recover, you've got to avoid the big numbers, and that's probably the first time I've ever avoided a big number, and that's huge.

Q. Mardy, the app that we looked at said you had a 22 today; is that correct?

MARDY FISH: 23. It says it right here on the scoreboard.

Q. So previously you had one other day one round that was better at 24 in 2017. But obviously you're on track to continue well starting off this well. What are your feelings on the rest of the tournament days tomorrow?

MARDY FISH: Like I said, it's obviously great to play with -- these guys are two of my best friends out here. Jake, I've known since I was five years old. And Adam, we've known each other probably since this event, probably eight, nine years. We're very close now. It's very emotional.

(Laughter)

But I put in with Milthorpe, this group, asked can I pull one favor. I've never really asked for a group or a grouping. So getting these two was really comfortable playing, and I think that had a lot to do with it too.

Q. Mardy, it's your 11th year. Are you superstitious, lucky 11?

MARDY FISH: Is that a thing, lucky 11?

Q. I don't know, depends if you're superstitious. In Tahoe with casinos, 7/11.

MARDY FISH: The American Century. Not the 11. It's the American Century, it's not Tahoe.