SHRINERS CHILDREN'S OPEN

October 16, 2024

Taylor Mongomery

TPC Summerlin

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Taylor Montgomery to the interview room here at the 2024 Shriners Children's Open. Taylor, making your third appearance here at TPC Summerlin. How special is it to have a semi home game this week as a Las Vegas resident?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: It's awesome to be at home, wake up in your own bed and go back home after you're done playing golf. It's just a very relaxing week.

Q. How does that change the approach at all being at home, just knowing it's a little bit of a different routine, but just having friends and everything that goes on being at home?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: It helps a lot. Feel more like a practice week at home practicing with the guys. When you're on the tournament site obviously the course doesn't look this way normally so you still get that same tournament feel, but as soon as you leave the golf course is kind of when you feel at home again.

Q. And then what is your comfortability level on this golf course? Sounds like it's going to blow pretty good here early on. What's your overall experience out here?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Normally pretty comfortable. A lot of 3-woods off the tee. Lately I haven't been playing my best so doesn't matter what course it is, it's not that comfortable right now.

Hoping to change that around soon and just happy to be playing golf.

Q. And lastly from me, you kind of alluded to it, based on where you are on the FedExCup fall standings, what's the mindset going into the last few events?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Kind of the same as it always is: Just go out there, one shot at a time, and kind of play golf; try to stay upbeat even in a down time.

Q. So you mentioned FedExCup fall. Is that number in the standings something you're paying attention to? Is it something that you watch throughout the week? Do you just try to play good golf?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: I just try to play good golf. If I have a top 10 finish, I'll jump up a lot of spots. I can't really control what other people are doing. I can only try to control myself, which is hard enough.

So just to be able to go out there and not think about it is I think the best approach.

Q. And can you talk about the state of your game heading into this week and what you've been working on recently and the season as a whole?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Yeah, state of my game has not been very good. Been working on a lot of things. I've been going down in my backswing and that's kind of like caused all sorts of issues.

So trying to do that, and even when I try sometimes I still go down. Just causing a lot of bad shots. Do I it best out of a fairway bunker. I don't know why. I don't tending to down. It's like an unstable surface.

So I been practicing a lot out of a fairway bunker and hopefully I'll get it soon. It can't stay bad forever.

Q. Throughout all this you still maintained an elite level of putting. How do you maintain that skill with your putting?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: I was very surprised to keep the putting the way it has been. It hasn't felt as good just because I haven't spent as much time on it, but it's amazing how fast I can get back into like to feeling good. Like I just have my same routine and it has worked for me for like probably ten years now. It hasn't changed.

So this is a muscle memory game and if you practice the right way, good things are going to happen. I'm just trying to do that with the full swing and figure that out so I can be consistent with that part of the game as well.

Q. How is the putter? Is the paint job still part of the routine. Still repainting...

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Oh, yeah, it has not chipped in probably six or seven months now. Whatever paint I got at Lowe's is holding strong.

Q. You kind of talked about it at the beginning. How would you describe playing in a tournament that benefits something that is just so much greater than golf in the Shriners Children's Hospital?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: It's unbelievable. Us golfers, we get frustrated, but we have the greatest life out here. To be able to come out and play and to see the stories of these kids, it's very heartbreaking but also great as well to see what they've come from and seeing what they battled through their entire life.

It's very special to be out here and see those kids.

Q. Hearing those stories, do they motivate you that much more on the golf course when you're competing?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Oh, yeah. For me, it was more of like struggling on the golf course lately, and look what these kids have battled through. It's so much worse. Even though you feel so bad on the golf course sometimes playing, but what those kids battled through is so much greater than what any of us golfers have ever done.

Q. You mentioned the benefits of playing at home, sleeping in your own bed, a lot of the other things. What are some of the challenges you have when you play in your hometown?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: I think some guys, they feel the pressure to play good. I definitely felt that the first year that I was here. And then I mean, I haven't stepped on the first tee yet tomorrow, but I haven't really felt that last year or this year.

So I don't really feel any sort of different pressure yet. I feel more comfortable being at home, especially right now where my game is at.

Q. How do you manage ticket requests? I guess you get a few additional ones.

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Yeah, they made it easy this year. You got the emailed ones and the hard copies. The hard copies are nice because I am going to see a bunch of family members and just hand those out and I don't have to go through all the emails.

They've done a great job.