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HP BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIP

May 27, 2011

Ryan Palmer

IRVING, TEXAS

THE MODERATOR: Ryan Palmer, leader at 8-under, 67. If we can get your comments.
RYAN PALMER: I came out fast with a birdie on 1. The wind was different, it was a little easier, but I drilled the ball great today, that was a big part of today, and the hour I spent with Randy Smith last night on my short game, that proved practice definitely helps.
The last five holes are playing tough, into the wind and uphill, finishing par was good. I love where I'm sitting, the course is getting firmer and faster and tougher, so fun weekend ahead.
THE MODERATOR: Your short game has been stellar through two rounds. When is the last time that you felt this good about that part of your game?
RYAN PALMER: It's been a while. Fightin' my chipping for a while, and Randy and I have been working on it, and he showed me a few techniques that helped today, and it paid off. The putting I've been working on and keeping that steady like it's been. And when I putt good, I know I'm going to have a good week and so far I'm on the ball like I need to be.

Q. You got to this point Ryan without needing to hole a lot of many long putts. I was looking that you had one putt over 10 feet; you've been stellar inside 10 feet. Is it because of the short game, because you're getting so close to the pin every time?
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, I think it just shows how solid I'm hitting the golf ball as well. I'm not having that many long putts. The proximity to the hole is probably -- I don't know what the proximity is, but I sure it's pretty good. I'm having a lot of nice 15, 20, 25-footers for birdies, which is nice, and that kinda takes the stress off of you, but when I do get close I'm making those as well.
And I'm not making that many long ones, but I'm not having that many as well, so that's good.

Q. Obviously with you and James, you said yesterday you felt free in your mind and all that. How much freer was it today after the results you had yesterday and knowing that if you put your head down and listened to him go?
RYAN PALMER: It was just as calm, especially with the conditions. When I got off that front 9 start I was thinking, I'm going to shoot 12, 13-under par. I was working my tail off to get to there. That was my -- I started thinking a little ahead, but it kept me calm. When we were able to -- the winds were blowin', and we were able to get a lot of flight shots, and I just kept let him kind of lead the way.
I keep surprising myself how calm I am when it's that way. You wonder why don't you do it every week, but there are a lot of times, it's something you want to do, but this is a golf course that I've struggled on so it's nice to not to think about it, just get up and hit the shot, and if I don't hit the shots it's on me, so it's nice to be free-swingin' like that.

Q. You mentioned the course is firming up, how much tougher are the guys in the afternoon going to have it?
RYAN PALMER: There are spots if you don't hit it in the right spot there are fast putts out there. The greens are rolling good, they're getting firmer and the fairways are faster and the way the wind is blowing the last four holes, they're tough. I hit driver/driver on 16 and barely got to the left bunker, and hit a perfect 6-iron, the wind just fought it, and 15 was even -- the second shot the way the wind was blowin' was hard.
You'll see some guys struggling out there, you'll see guys playing well, but it's definitely getting tougher, I think.

Q. Growing up in Amarillo and now living here in the Mid-Cities, have you thought about why you haven't played better here? Some guys think it's distractions at home, some guys want to play at home. Have you thought about why you haven't played better in Dallas/Ft. Worth?
RYAN PALMER: No. I played steady at Colonial, and there are some things -- I think a lot has to do with -- the are tee shots out here that I've fought and fought. And it does get pressure with family and friends and getting the tickets out, and that's where I get my in my own way. I worry too much about everybody else and making sure they're happy instead of taking care of myself, and I've gotten more selfish with all that.
This year at the Masters, I made my parents stay by themselves in their own hotel. And I told them, I'm sorry, but I'm going to be a little selfish, even told my wife that but -- (Laughter.) And they understood. And I think that had a little bit to do with it, but I'm seeing' these lines out here more clear and when I don't have to think about it, it's showing the way I'm hitting the ball.

Q. When did the wind pick up and get noticeable for you during your round today. Secondly, can you throw a couple of holes at us where James has tweaked the stick off the tee that you would have hit in past years?
RYAN PALMER: What was that first part?

Q. The wind --
RYAN PALMER: Oh, it was blowin' about -- I looked at the phone when I was going to the range and it was blowin' about 12, so it was up there, but as far as gusty, it was steady throughout the front nine, probably got more gusty toward the last part of the back 9 when I started feeling the wind.
As far as tee shots that I normally would hit, let's see, one -- 4 is a big one I've always fought and water left, bunker right and I'm sitting up there wondering where I'm going to hit it, and he said, "Aim to the bunker and if you hit it, so what." I piped it both times. Today one of the biggest was 18. I thought I was going to hit driver today and he pulls that 5-wood, what am I going to do, hit 5-wood, 5-wood? And he goes. "Let's practice for the British Open. Hit the 5-wood hard, you can hit," and I did that and hit a perfect 5-iron to the middle of the green. He's playing steady golf, too.
It's workin'. It's actually great play for me because the way that hole is set up, you miss it right on 18 and you're having to punch out, and Brian Gay today had to punch it out of the water. I think we're taking trouble out of play.

Q. I was going to ask you about Jordan. The kid is 17 and he seems to be steady, obviously you haven't seen him play but when you see a guy like that, you got to be impressed, I assume?
RYAN PALMER: We were talking about that on 18. It is for a 17 year old to be in that stage, to be playing like that, but go back and think, well, here is a senior in high school who lives here, he's playing here and not a care in the world, playing golf, and probably played this course a thousand times. All he's having to do is have fun; he has nothing to lose. He needs to go out there and let it go. And he's played well, he's played here a bunch. But still to be on this stage as a senior in high school, at 17, it's impressive. I'm starting to wonder if he's thinking about four years of college or just one year.

Q. You wouldn't say that if he was going to A&M would you?
RYAN PALMER: No, I would probably keep him in school, somehow. J.T. would have me keep him in school, but he's going to the other school, wherever that's at. (Laughter.)

Q. Ryan, you talked yesterday about you don't want to think about what this weekend might hold or winning this tournament. Now does it creep into your mind a little more than yesterday?
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, it does and I -- there is one shot in particular, I forget which one it was but I started thinking about it a little bit. Started thinking about Sunday, my parents coming to town and I thought, wait a minute, this shot, I need to hit this shot. And I did that every shot in Ginn sur Mer, when I won in '08, and I all I kept telling myself was just hit this shot, over and over again.
I got it out of my head and wasn't thinking about it. But it crossed my mind, especially now where I'm at. But I can look back on, when I've been in this position I've come out on top or close. I won in New Zealand, leading after two or three rounds, last year in Hawaii.
When I was on the Mid-Tour, I've always been leading and come back and won, so it's nice to know I have that experience.
THE MODERATOR: Ryan, play well with weekend.
RYAN PALMER: Thank you.

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