BLACK DESERT CHAMPIONSHIP

October 12, 2024

Joe Highsmith

Quick Quotes

Q. Career-best round. How do you feel about today?

JOE HIGHSMITH: I felt great, yeah. It was certainly probably one of the best rounds I've ever played in my entire life golfing. It got pretty hard on the back nine with some crosswinds.

So, yeah, I mean, feeling great about it, but still (audio cutting out) come in a pretty focused place, so I'm not really trying to analyze it too much. Just kind of stay there and hopefully keep it going tomorrow.

Q. How do you keep that focus?

JOE HIGHSMITH: That's a good question. I mean, I think I have a lot of clarity on what I'm doing with my swing, and also with my putting stroke. So that's like a huge part of it, is just knowing what to focus on.

It's going to be hard. I'm sure I'll get a lot of texts and social media stuff tonight from a round like that.

Yeah, honestly I just feel like really, really clear and pretty good about what I'm doing with the golf. Hopefully can keep that going tomorrow.

Q. You had the Pepperdine ties. I think you're close with Sahith. How much have you talked to him maybe as a mentor, hey, listen, don't get down with the missed cuts or whatever, just keep pushing.

JOE HIGHSMITH: Yeah, for sure. A little bit, yeah, I mean, he's been just like a great friend for a while, kind of since we met. He's helped me a lot. We stayed together at 3M and we were talking golf and my struggles the whole time.

He's just always super supportive, and it's been really great to see how much you have how much success he's had and to have him kind of tell me good things about I'm doing, I really appreciate it.

Yeah, he's just the best. It's definitely a good friendship to have for sure.

Q. He's coming off his best season ever. Obviously played in the Presidents Cup.

JOE HIGHSMITH: Yeah.

Q. Is that motivating, because you know you probably did beat him multiple times I assume in college.

JOE HIGHSMITH: I think so. Pretty much anyone out here, if they're playing their best golf is as good as anybody else. It's just a matter of kind of like -- I mean, those guys do it very frequently versus this is probably like the one tournament I feel like I've kind of played to that level so far this year.

Yeah, it's encouraging. He's certainly miles better than I am. If I'm playing really well I can certainly hang with him. It's been cool to see he's actually doing it and top 10 in the world or whatever he is and making Cup teams and stuff.

It's kind of encouraging and I know I can compete with him. Doing it does obviously another thing. Yeah.

Q. You mentioned your struggles that you guys have talked about. What has he told you about, listen, don't get your head down, what has he told you to kind of lift up your spirits?

JOE HIGHSMITH: Yeah, I would have a tough time remembering exactly what he said. I remember talking to him and his caddie Carl, we're pretty close from the Pepperdine connection. They're both supportive and telling me, you're not playing as bad as you think you are.

I've just been in a little bit of a funk this year. Of course those guys are going to be supportive and telling me that it's not as bad as it feels for me. Just as a player, everyone is pretty hard on themselves.

It's just hard to not be. Yeah, I don't know exactly like anything specifically those guys have said that's really helped. Just the support has been there which is nice.

Q. What's your record when it's a thousand degrees outside?

JOE HIGHSMITH: What's my record?

Q. Yeah, how have you played historically when it's super duper hot?

JOE HIGHSMITH: Oh, not great. I got a brutal headache the first day from I think either dehydration or some altitude sickness. I been drinking like a ton of water and like all these hydration packs to stay level headed.

I started to get a little bit light-headed out there. Yeah, the altitude and plus the heat, we're certainly used to the heat with our schedule this year and Korn Ferry schedule. You're literally in the hottest places the entire year.

Week doesn't feel too bad. It's still very dry. Just still hot.

Q. Any friends and family out?

JOE HIGHSMITH: My parents are here, and then a couple buddies from my home club are actually in town, member guest in the area, so fun to see them. Yeah, just me and my parents.

Q. What are their names?

JOE HIGHSMITH: Chris and Anne.

Q. What is your home club?

JOE HIGHSMITH: Tacoma Country Club. Yeah, I think these guys are all from Tacoma. Yeah, RJ Manke is from there as well. He played in the Monday and then he was caddieing for John Sand who's a long-time friend from Washington Junior Golf, which is kind of funny to have that connection.

Yeah, so we all play up there.

Q. Chris with C-H and A-N-N-E?

JOE HIGHSMITH: Correct.

Q. Do you know the Putnam brothers and Joel Dahmen?

JOE HIGHSMITH: Yeah, of course. I played with Joel a couple weeks ago. I don't know him as well as the Putnams. I've known them for a while. I grew up with those guys. We play at the same course in Washington. They were a big part of me going to Pepperdine as well, so known them for a while.

Just gotten to know Joel a little bit this year. Yeah, obviously have the Washington connection. Cam Davis lives up there as well. We played a little bit of golf.

Q. Not a lot from up there.

JOE HIGHSMITH: Yeah, right. For sure. Yeah, exactly.

Q. You ever get recognized as a golfer in an elevator somewhere?

JOE HIGHSMITH: No. I'm not on that level yet. I got to earn my stripes first before that starts happening.

Q. Not even once? Has to have happened somewhere.

JOE HIGHSMITH: No. Maybe after the tournament at like a dinner at the course or at Torrey Pines, that kind of setting. Never randomly, that's for sure.