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RBC CANADIAN OPEN

July 23, 2011

Adam Hadwin

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

THE MODERATOR: Like to welcome Adam Hadwin to the interview room. Adam, great playing today. You find yourself in good position going into tomorrow. If you could just talk a little bit about that and obviously the lone Canadian, and we'll take questions.
ADAM HADWIN: Okay. Yeah, the whole objective today with the caddie was to put myself in a position to win tomorrow. You know, it's been a very simple process this whole week, and that's just picking a target, picking a yardage and committing to it, and that's it.
You know, this golf course is so difficult once you get off line that you just can't play from the trees and from the rough. You know, that was our focus going into today. Obviously, getting off to a start like I did, birdieing the first, the third, and the fourth made it very easy.
You know, it settled the nerves quickly knowing that I already had a three-shot cushion, basically. Actually on the first tee Brett told me, he goes, "you know you're on the second page of the leaderboard. You know that, right?" And I said, "let's make birdie and change that." So we birdied the first, and moved up to the first page.
But just a good solid round. Hit a lot of good shots. Picked my targets appropriately. When I got in trouble, I didn't try to do anything stupid and then made some putts. The putter's been feeling good all week. We've committed to good lines. It's been a fantastic week so far. Just got to do the same thing tomorrow.

Q. You overshot 17 slightly and then your drive on 18 was 25 or 30 yards longer than you've been hitting it all week. Was the adrenaline pumping coming in?
ADAM HADWIN: Yeah, I think so. We had a good yardage on 17. We both liked the club. Then after I hit it, I kind of said to him just mark it down. We could probably go a little less. Just the crowd, the adrenaline and that sort of thing, on 18, I put a solid swing on it, hit it well and crushed it.

Q. Adam, both guys that you were playing with kind of remarked about how calm you seemed out there and how relaxed you seemed. Did you feel that way?
ADAM HADWIN: You know what, I did. I think my caddie has a lot it to do with it this week. Because it's been the same from the first tee shot until now. We go through the same process. We go through the same process every time. We get a yardage, pick a club, and pick a target. He tells me to commit to it, and I do then we go from there.

Q. Is it going to be tougher to keep that demeanor tomorrow?
ADAM HADWIN: I don't think so. I think he's on a pretty even keel, and so am I. We know if we post another 68, we've got a good chance of winning. Just go out and do the same thing we've been doing.

Q. Just to be clear, was that a 3-wood on 18?
ADAM HADWIN: It was.

Q. Scott McCarron backed up and let you walk up on your own to 18. What's it like to have a veteran like that recognize that moment and to be in that moment?
ADAM HADWIN: He's just a classy guy. You know, I even asked him what I should do about my putt on 16 because I knew the crowd was going to go crazy after I tapped in. I wasn't sure. I haven't been in this position. So I asked him, "should I tap in, should I wait?" He's a very classy guy. So we just had a lot of fun.

Q. Just to follow up, I don't know if you're aware of this, but Scott told us afterwards he was filming your swing before he had any idea who you were on the range. Did you know that, and what did it mean to hear that?
ADAM HADWIN: No, I had no idea. But it's kind of a cool feeling that someone appreciates the hard work that you've put in. You know, lot of fun.

Q. What are you going to do after you leave the media room? Until you tee it up tomorrow morning, it's been five-plus decades since a Canadian has actually won this tournament. Does your lack of experience in this world sort of help you? Because you seem to be playing with such confidence outside of maybe not showing the pressure one would expect given the circumstances.
ADAM HADWIN: Well, I mean, that's understandable because really who am I? I'm a Canadian Tour player. I'm not a PGA TOUR Star. I'm just playing good golf right now.
I feel like I keep repeating myself, but it's the same thick over and over. If I do the same things I need to do. If I hit the ball on the fairway, put it on the green, and give myself putts at it, I've got a chance to win the championship tomorrow. You know, that's my focus right now. That's it. I'm swinging great and I feel great over every shot. So, you know, I'll just go from there.

Q. What is your schedule like?
ADAM HADWIN: I'm going to eat. I'm starving. I'll do that, and then probably relax, hit a few putts, maybe hit a few balls about an hour or so, maybe 20 minutes each thing. Get a feel for everything, and then head home and spend some time with my girlfriend and my family and just relax for the rest of the night.

Q. Is this at all sort of surreal to you? Is it a dream come true? Do you remember the first time you sort of thought about playing in the Canadian Open? Were you a kid that would sit on the putting green at night and say this is to win the Canadian Open?
ADAM HADWIN: No offense to the Canadian Open, but my putts were to win the U.S. Open or the Masters.
I don't really find it surreal because I feel like I belong here. I just need my opportunity to get out here. You know, I think I kind of proved that today. I think a lot of people may have been going he's tied for 5. He's had two good rounds. He kind of threw up on the weekend last year, whatever.
But I'll say it again: My caddie has been awesome. He's a huge reason why I put together the round I did today. He keeps me in the present.
I feel like from a year ago I'm a thousand percent better player now than I was a year ago. Everything's better. My missed shots are better, my putting is better, I'm getting it up-and-down when I need to, and those are the keys to playing well.

Q. Were you watching when Mike Weir was in the final pairing and eventually lost in the playoff?
ADAM HADWIN: Where was I that year? I've got to be honest, I don't remember if I was or not. I think that would have been the last time we were close to bringing the national championship home. We've got a shot tomorrow, so hopefully we can pull it off.

Q. Your background suggests that you play exceptionally well in the last round of a tournament, regardless where the tournament is. Does that enter into your mind? Do you think about that for tomorrow?
ADAM HADWIN: Never entered. I could think about it. I've had some good solid final rounds. I like to think of myself as a late bloomer. I finish off tournaments well. I don't usually start that well.
But I've just got to go out there and do my thing. If I do my thing, keep hitting good shots and swinging away, I'll have a chance.

Q. A Top 10 finish tomorrow would be an entry into the next PGA TOUR event, correct?
ADAM HADWIN: Yeah, and a big check.

Q. And would you take that entry?
ADAM HADWIN: Yep, I wouldn't -- I was looking forward to a week off, but if I have to play, I'll go play, yeah.

Q. What experiences will you rely on tomorrow to hopefully get the job done?
ADAM HADWIN: A little bit last year at the Canadian Open, for sure. Finishing the way I did last year definitely. This year's U.S. Open as well, finishing the way I did there in the final round, and my two wins on the Canadian Tour.
Getting that first win end of last year was big, it was tight. I needed to make some good shots, and I pulled the shots off when I needed to. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. You mentioned the putt on 16, talk about the shot coming in. What kind of lie did you have? Was that the line you were taking some?
ADAM HADWIN: It wasn't the line I was taking. I had a good lie though. I think they trimmed the first part of the rough for us actually for us to be able to reach the green now. I drew a good lie. I only had 120 front edge, 126 or 27 pin, something like that. I was aimed 15 feet left, and that kind of gave me that room. So when I did push it like I did, I flew the right distance and it kind of worked out perfectly.

Q. Talked to your dad coming up 18. He said the only reason more people didn't know you in college was you struggled with putting. What did you do to change that? Because you looked very comfortable this week?
ADAM HADWIN: Lot of hard work. That's it. This game comes down to hard work and putting the time in. I've got a great instructor. We do the right things. He's gotten me to where I am, and I trust him with my game.
You know, if he tells me to do something, I do it. It's work and trust. That's basically about it.

Q. 1,000 percent from last year to this year. Is that just experience or is that anything else?
ADAM HADWIN: Experience as well, but I think my short game has come up 2,000 percent since last year. My putting, I felt like last year at the Canadian Open, shooting 66 like I did, if I had putted well, I would have been in the lead. And this year now it just takes so much pressure off my long game that a can just kind of, I don't have to worry about hitting it to 8 feet to make par anymore. I can hit it to 20 feet and make a 20-footer for birdie. So everything feels good.

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