CONSTELLATION FURYK & FRIENDS PRESENTED BY CIRCLE K

October 4, 2024

Rocco Mediate

Timuquana Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. 5-under 67 today, bogey-free.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Yes.

Q. Amazing.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Yes, that was cool.

Q. What was working out there?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Just keep it in front of me as we always say. Boring. It was good. I was -- I did a lot of good things. Obviously have to getting around here. This course is -- you got to learn to play this course. It's interesting. It's Ross, old school with some tricks. I got away with -- I didn't fall for any tricks today, which is good.

Q. What would you say one of your strengths out there were?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Short clubs. When I got a short club in my hand I hit it close to hole and made birdies. The longer shots I kept in play on the greens and stuff like that. There are certain pins you just don't even look at, so I didn't. I wanted to but I didn't, and turns out fine.

Some holes, like 8 and 9, especially 8, it's a long hole for me. For everybody, but I hit it not very far so it's manage, manage, manage.

Felt like I was telling Pete, Bernhard plays every round of golf like I played today. That's why he's Bernhard. It's like you learn from that. You try to plot around and a take your shots when you can take them.

Q. A sigh of relief coming into the AC here.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, yeah.

Q. How do you overcome that?

ROCCO MEDIATE: It was really warm. Nah, we're fine, we're used to it. 39 years now. Yeah, I lived here in Jacksonville, in Ponte Vedra for almost 20 years.

Q. Rocco, a couple of good weeks lately.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Yeah.

Q. What's working well for you?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Well, the only -- we play 16 holes they come in, so that's why I'm shooting those low scores. They probably wouldn't know that. No, yeah. No, how can I explain it? I've been putting good for quite sometime. I've been pitching and wedges good for quite sometime.

Now I'm starting to do the other side. Been driving okay, but now my iron game has gotten better. Ricky Smith and I and couple other buddies, we kind of went back into some old setup feels. All of a sudden the club started to appear where I wanted it to every -- not every time. You know what I'm saying? It's in front of me.

Then I can do a little damage that way. Even with long clubs I'm way back comparatively, so it's just a matter of managing. But that's all. My iron game got much, much better. I'm continuing to do the same thing. There is no magic.

Q. How does your back feel?

ROCCO MEDIATE: I'm fine. No issues.

Q. How long has it been?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Long time. I had a small issue this year. Tucson, we had to take carts and we caught a bump on the 70th hole and literally just put me out for about a month. I mean, wasn't because of anything -- you know, just with the way it is. I'm fine.

Q. Any highlights today?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Just no bogeys. That's the highlight around here. Around anywhere. But this is a great old school, wonderful golf course.

It'll jump up with get you if you do the wrong things. The greens deflect things if you're on the wrong side.

Q. Did you get out here a lot when you were living here?

ROCCO MEDIATE: No, not much. I only played a few times. It was different than it is now. But it's beautiful. It's a fantastic place. Being the Furyk's involved makes it better. It's awesome. What a job last week. That was fantastic.

He's so happy. I saw him the other day, he's smiling from ear it ear. And he should be.

Q. I agree. What length putter are you using now?

ROCCO MEDIATE: 38. Just stand there like this and let it rip.

Q. So you've used about everything.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, yeah, I was long for years and arm lock a little bit, now just kind of standing and letting it swing. Ever since I switched last year, June-ish, I've putted beautifully.

Hopefully that continues. You never know. It's fleeting. You can never take it for granted, like I got this. You don't. Every day you got to get up and see what's going on and manage your way around these courses we play and deal with them.

Q. The first tomorrow I heard somebody say that I kind of didn't believe it. It was Dave Stockton, Jr., and he said I wake up in the morning, go out to the range...

ROCCO MEDIATE: See what's going on, yeah.

Q. All of a sudden I'm hitting a fade when my luck shot is a draw. So I just have to go with it that day.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Yeah, one thing I've got that I didn't tell you that's changed things around here for me is I have the ability to now hit it left to right when I want to. Having that ability helps.

So I have a couple shots to chose from. The last couple weeks I've used those shots and I've been in the -- wouldn't say really in contention, but up there a little bit, right?

I used them when it mattered and they were there. Huge deal. Because anybody can do it on the range, right? Today was the same thing. Trust it. I hit a couple balls that were left to right. Another little shot that helps you around places like this especially, so that's one of the other things, which makes sense.