CHUBB CLASSIC PRESENTED BY SERVPRO

February 15, 2025

Justin Leonard

Tiburón Golf Club

TV

Q. You're all cleaned up after that.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Kind of. Not really.

Q. Not really?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Don't bend down. Pants got a little mud on them from that shot at 17. I'm just glad I hit it. All I can see is mud. Just glad that the ball came out and got on the green.

Q. Gave yourself an opportunity to make a par. Good birdie there at the last. Eight birdies, one single bogey. Keys to the day?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I hit some really good wedges on the front nine. It's something that I haven't -- I struggled with a little bit in the two pro-ams. You know, if you drive the ball well here you're going to have some wedges.

And the contact wasn't quite right. Distance control wasn't quite right. Worked on it a lot Thursday afternoon and again yesterday, and I think that really paid off.

I mean, I was hitting my numbers nicely to what can be some -- you got a wedge but still some pretty shallow greens, targets that you're hitting at.

Being able to hit the numbers with the wedges and things like that, got off to a great start. Then just kind of tried to make as many birdies as I could today.

Q. Was that adjustment that you made on Thursday afternoon?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Really it's just -- look, I think I fall in the trap, I think a lot of people do, of just full swings. This golf course, with all the wedges and as precise as you need to be, you've got to have those little three quarter shots taking four, five yards off, those kind of things.

It wasn't really a swing adjustment. It was just get over there and practice and use my launch monitor to really get things dialed in to where if I've got 115 or -- it's not a full wedge, pitching wedge, that I feel comfortable and confident that I'm going to hit my yardages.

Q. Keys for tomorrow? Looking for your first win on the PGA TOUR Champions. You've been in this circle before. What's it going to take tomorrow?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, you know, Ernie is right there. I mean, I feel like this was kind of his tour last year the way he played, and he's obviously off to a great start with the first and a third. I played with him last weekend in Morocco.

So it's going to take probably a similar round to how I played today. I'm certainly capable.

And then I think the last thing is just not to worry about the score or where I am. Just go out and play my game, enjoy the day, and just it's another day to go learn what I need to do, what I'm capable of and all these things.