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THE HONDA CLASSICMarch 4, 2011Kyle StanleyPALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA JOHN BUSH: Our tournament leader Kyle Stanley joins us in the leader room after a 4-under par 66. Another tough day out there condition-wise but a great round for you. Just get your comments. KYLE STANLEY: Yeah, I played well. The wind probably wasn't as strong as it was yesterday, but I felt like I controlled my golf ball really well, which is what you need to do out here. And also I putted well. JOHN BUSH: Take us through those three in a row, you started on the back nine, three in a row on 13, 14 and a 15. Take us through that stretch. KYLE STANLEY: Pretty good break on 13 actually. I kind of pulled my tee shot a little left and found some rough in between those bunkers and hit a 9-iron to probably about four feet and made that. And then also drove it left on 14 in that left bunker. I hit a really good 9-iron to about five feet. And then 15, they had the tee up a little bit, I hit a good 6-iron to just 12 feet by the pin. JOHN BUSH: Talk about your confidence level coming off a career-best finish on the PGA TOUR at Mayakoba last week. KYLE STANLEY: I'm make well. I feel like I've been playing well all year but haven't quite put four good rounds together, but I'm getting better and that's the main thing. Q. How different were the conditions today, would you say? KYLE STANLEY: I mean, they are a little different late in my round just because the wind died down quite a bit and it wasn't really a factor. Started on the back nine in those last, you know, four or five holes. Played about the same as it did yesterday. Q. You played in two majors, U.S. Opens; and the guy right behind you, Rory, has played in 36 majors. Does that come into any thinking at all? KYLE STANLEY: Not really. I mean, he's a lot older than I am. That experience factor, that's kind of something that you just kind of have to go out there and get. So hopefully I'll get there. Q. What was the timing, had you started your round when Rory's 64 went up on the board and did you think about it when it filtered down? KYLE STANLEY: Yeah, I did see it. I mean, that kind of just tells you that conditions -- that's a good round, but probably weren't quite as difficult as they were yesterday. I didn't really feel like they were. So you kind of knew that there was some good scores out there. Q. As a kid, you won a tennis tournament before you won a golf tournament? KYLE STANLEY: I did, yeah. Q. Why didn't you become a budding tennis star? KYLE STANLEY: I played I guess through my freshman year of high school. But I love golf. I think I played my first golf tournament when I was 11. And that kind of took care of that. Q. How old were you when you won that tennis tournament? KYLE STANLEY: Oh, gosh, probably right around there, maybe 11, 12. I still played a little bit after I started golfing. Q. What kind of memories have you got of 2007 at Royal County Down? That wasn't a bad Walker Cup Team you were on with Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy on the GB&I Team and Rickie Fowler was on the team, as well. Can you just talk a little bit about that and those guys and how your game stacks up maybe against them? KYLE STANLEY: Yeah, I think both sides are really good teams. I think from our team, eight of us, eight out of ten maybe are out here. Yeah, that's probably my favorite golf course, Royal County Down. I enjoyed that week. It was nice to win, too. But yeah, I feel like everybody that played in that event, a lot of guys from their side and our side are doing pretty well. Q. Do you feel like you're more of a slow burner than those guys or just coming now maybe? KYLE STANLEY: Maybe a little bit. I think I was still in school at the time so I played a couple of years in college, after that event, a lot of those guys turned pro. So, maybe, but still I'm out here now and I'm glad to be here. Q. You've got a friendship with Arnold Palmer's grandson; is that right? KYLE STANLEY: We were roommates in college for a year. Q. Have you ever been in the interview room after a round? KYLE STANLEY: No. Q. How do you like it? KYLE STANLEY: I like it. It's good (smiling). Q. So you don't have Arnold's number in your cell phone? KYLE STANLEY: No. Q. Do you know him at all? KYLE STANLEY: I've played in his tournament a couple of times, I think in '07 and maybe '08. So I've met him a few times. Q. Kind of a thrill? KYLE STANLEY: Yeah, yeah. I mean, I remember the first time I saw him, I was on the putting green and I kind of looked up and he was right there, so that kind of caught me off-guard a little bit. Yeah, he's a nice guy. Q. Being from Clemson, are you trying not to think about what a victory would mean here as far as Augusta? KYLE STANLEY: I'm sure it will cross my mind a little bit. But you know -- I mean, yeah, there will be pressure there and all that stuff. So I'm sure I'll learn a lot about how I'll handle it. But it's like I was saying, I feel like I have a good game plan for this golf course and all I can really do is just go out and continue to execute that. Q. What's Gig Harbor like? KYLE STANLEY: It's kind of a small town. It's probably about 45 minutes south of Seattle right on the Puget Sound. So, water and yeah, pretty small. Q. A lot of golf played there? KYLE STANLEY: More in Tacoma I would say than Gig Harbor. We have a couple golf courses. I grew up on one which was nice. But I mean, yeah, there's a little bit. Q. What's your game plan exactly? Why do you think you're leading at the moment? What have you done particularly well do you think so far? KYLE STANLEY: I've done a really good job of controlling my golf ball. I'm hitting it in the right spots, especially on the greens. I'm really keeping it in play. I feel like I've driven it pretty well, and it's kind of just how I want to attack each hole from tee-to-green, and I felt like I've done a good job of doing that. Q. When did the wind start dying down for you guys? KYLE STANLEY: Probably on 5 or 6, which was -- that was my back nine. So 14, 15. Q. How would you describe yourself? Would you describe yourself as a low-key guy? You seem like a nice, quiet kind of individual. KYLE STANLEY: Yeah, I would say I'm pretty quiet. I don't really say a whole lot. Kind of keep to myself. I don't know, I feel like on the golf course, I kind of maybe give off that kind of side but off the golf course I'm pretty laid back, kind of a jokester, I guess. Q. Are you going to sleep well tonight? KYLE STANLEY: Yeah, I'm sure I'll sleep fine. I sleep pretty well. Q. Especially after being battered by the wind for two days or three days? KYLE STANLEY: Yeah, it can take a lot out of you. Q. Do you think the wind continuing could help you or hurt you or what would you rather see as far as the wind? KYLE STANLEY: I mean, I like playing these conditions. I think it kind of really brings a feel aspect into it and you kind of have to use your instincts and feel. I enjoy doing that, so I'd like to see the wind stay up a little bit. But you know, everybody is playing the same golf course. So we'll see, we'll see what it does. JOHN BUSH: Kyle, thanks for your time. Play well this weekend. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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