SHRINERS CHILDREN'S OPEN

October 20, 2024

Ian Gilligan

TPC Summerlin

Quick Quotes

Q. Ian, 65 today. Best round of the week. Talk me through your round and how you were feeling out there.

IAN GILLIGAN: Yeah, obviously really excited. Played some really great golf. Obviously the Friday round with the weather I played a really good round to make the cut, and then obviously I was a little more free just knowing I made the cut.

Then this weekend I just hit the ball really good. Never felt too stressed, especially today. I was hitting fairways and greens and had a ton of looks. Golf feels pretty easy when you're in the fairway and hitting greens.

So, yeah, just super excited with how I played today.

Q. You got to experience the true PGA TOUR experience of sweating out a cut line.

IAN GILLIGAN: Yeah.

Q. Talk about how you were feeling through that whole experience.

IAN GILLIGAN: Yeah, it was very nerve-wracking obviously. I didn't want to miss the cut. I was grinding out there, especially with the weather. It's already a grind, but feels like you're trying to win a tournament trying to make the cut.

I made some huge putts; just hole 5 and 8 just really stick out, especially birdieing 8. Probably one of the hardest holes that day. To be able to do that under the pressure is a huge confidence boost.

Q. And now going back to playing in college, just how does this experience compare to the college golf you've played and what will you take with you going forward from this event?

IAN GILLIGAN: Yeah, I think this is just a huge confidence boost. Just like I felt like I was playing some really good golf, especially this weekend.

Like seeing that my good golf is able to compete out here, you know, some of the mistakes I made on Thursday just taking some of those away and I'm almost right there which is really cool to see.

You know, a couple other mistakes I made, but obviously really excited with how I played. But I think just taking away a lot of confidence, and, yeah.

Q. Are you excited to get back to Florida to get back to work? Maybe hit The Strip tonight? What's the plans off this good finish?

IAN GILLIGAN: Well I'm flying back to Gainsville tonight, so probably just take a couple days off and just digest how this went and kind of root on my teammates who are playing at UNC's event.

I know if I missed the cut Coach wanted me to fly out there, so I'll be rooting them on from home.

Q. Obviously with your background you were diagnosed with lymphoma at age 15. Shriners Children's Hospitals is run by a network of children's hospitals, and a lot of the kids from those hospitals are around this week taking part in the tournament. Seeing those kids around, knowing that you also were dealt an unlucky hand as a young man health-wise, how much extra motivation was that for you to play your best golf and really show the kids?

IAN GILLIGAN: Yeah, yeah, obviously it's extra motivation. I think I would like to consider myself a role model for those kids, just trying to give them inspiration to push through what they're going through.

I think at least for me, to be able to see someone else that's striving, that went through a similar thing would've been really helpful for me during that time, so I hope that those kids maybe got a little inspiration.

But, yeah, obviously to play if a tournament with great things that are helping support the event is obviously awesome to play and super happy I played well as well.

Q. Any kids that week that you were able to connect with or just have any conversations with?

IAN GILLIGAN: Not really. You know, I think -- well today we got put on the clock so we were kind of rushing. It's just I think this entire week is just so much of a grind. It's a little bit of a new experience for me obviously, so just working with a caddie, it's tough to spend time to talk to people around. Yeah, I think I was just really excited with the overall experience this week.

Q. You closed 42 consecutive holes without making a bogey. How proud are you of that and what does that tell but your golf game?

IAN GILLIGAN: Yeah, I definitely like kind of thought about it a little bit. Try not to, but I was like, all right, well, I haven't made a bogey in a while. Then thought about it on the back nine, but I was like, you make a bogey out here, especially with these conditions, you're losing a lot of ground.

Obviously it's a huge confidence boost. I made a lot of great saves, especially on the back nine today. But I think it was just mainly how well I was hitting the ball. I wasn't too stressed and put myself in great opportunities to make birdies, which is what you kind of have to do out here.

If you're trying to scramble around the greens you're behind the eight ball. I think that was its key this week, just how I hit the ball.

Q. Did you keep notes of stats like that? Do you think you've done that before? Have you made more holes with no bogeys?

IAN GILLIGAN: Yeah, I don't know if I've ever done that many holes. I know I've gotten a couple streaks, but that's probably one of my best, if not the best. Obviously to do it in a PGA TOUR event is pretty sweet.