AMGEN IRISH OPEN

September 12, 2024

Simon Thornton

Royal County Down GC

Quick Quotes

Q. AN opening 73. Sum up your thoughts out there.

SIMON THORNTON: I would have taken 73 at the beginning of the day. Front nine is tougher than the back, as we know as locals.

Started off lovely on the back nine to be fair. Holed a good putt on 10, and then went almost across the hole into the green on 13 which is a bit of a bonus.

But I played okay. And a couple of bad shots on this golf course penalises you, as we all know, and as were going to find out over the week. A bad tee shot on 7 and a bad tee shot on 6, was it. That's a good night.

Q. You know this place better than most. Do you think that gives you an advantage?

SIMON THORNTON: Yeah, I think so, yeah. We woke up this morning and said it doesn't matter where the pins or and what it's doing. It's front edge of every green. That's what it is. As soon as you go chasing up the greens, that's when all the trouble comes into it, especially from the rough out there which is penal.

And you can get carried away with trying to find flags, because as locals, I understand that. As the guys that come on tour when they are used to shooting 20-under Par and stuff, you know what I mean, you go chasing things a lot. You can't go chasing things around here. It's totally the opposite. You have to play a patient game, and hope one or two you can pick up on the way around.

Q. Some amazing support out there. How nice is that?

SIMON THORNTON: It was great, I have to say. A lot of friends and family around, and a lot more than in '15 to be honest now. Me sort of being away and then coming back, there's a bit of a new story around the town. There's lots following around, and it's nice to hear a different sort of cheer when mine goes in than somebody else.

It was great. Hopefully we can continue with this with decent and dry weather over the week and can get some great support out.