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THE GREENBRIER CLASSIC

July 29, 2011

Brendon de Jonge

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA

JOHN BUSH: We'd like to welcome Brendon de Jonge into the interview room after a 3-under par 67. Currently stands at 7-under par through two rounds. Brendon, once again, nice playing out there.
BRENDON de JONGE: Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.
JOHN BUSH: If we could just get comments on your overall round.
BRENDON de JONGE: Yeah, it was nice. I started out a little bit shaky, but I made some good pars beginning of the round and got some momentum going.
JOHN BUSH: Take us through the birdies if you can. Actually, bogey on No. 11.
BRENDON de JONGE: No. 11 I hit it just in the left fringe and 3-putted that.
16 I hit a wedge about 15 feet behind the hole and made a birdie there.
Got it up and down on the front bunker on 17 for birdie.
Hit a wedge to about eight feet on No.4, I believe. Managed to make that for birdie.
And then hit it 9-iron to about three feet on No. 5.
JOHN BUSH: Okay. 11 of 14 fairways today; 15 of 18 greens in regulation. Another solid ball-striking day.
BRENDON de JONGE: Yeah, it was nice. I felt like I had pretty good control of the ball, which you need to on these greens.
JOHN BUSH: Okay. We'll go into questions.

Q. Brendon, you made 16 cuts this year, couple Top 10s. More importantly, this is your second consecutive year of playing really well here the first couple rounds. Something about the course obviously. But with the changes, you've actually handled them better than a lot of players this year.
BRENDON de JONGE: Yeah, I felt comfortable here from the start. I love the changes. The changes obviously made the golf course a lot more difficult, but I think they're great.
It's a comfortable place for me. A lot of Virginia Tech support, which it's nice. Yes, it feels good out there.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the Virginia Tech nation, I guess it is. How does that help you?
BRENDON de JONGE: Yeah, it's a little bit of adrenaline. Keeps you going. You know, it's always a little pick-me-up if you're struggling a little bit. It's fun. It's nice to hear, Go Hokies on every tee.
Any time you play sport there, it's a pretty close-knit community, so it's good fun.

Q. You're No.1, I think, on the TOUR in putting. How has your putting been here? The greens are pretty fast.
BRENDON de JONGE: Oh, I would love to be No. 1 on the TOUR. I'm not really close to it.
But, no, I putted all right for the first couple rounds. Yeah, No. 1 would be good.

Q. (No microphone.)
BRENDON de JONGE: I mean, I managed to hit the ball far enough. I wouldn't say I'm a bomber, but I hit it far enough. You need a little bit of length on the golf course as well.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about how you got from Zimbabwe to Virginia Tech? Also, wondering if you got any catcalls from WVA fans?
BRENDON de JONGE: Well, to get to Virginia Tech from Zimbabwe I was actually down in South Florida playing junior golf and then I got recruited from there.
Sorry, what was the second part of that question?

Q. (Question regarding catcalls from WVU fans.)
BRENDON de JONGE: Um, not much out there on the golf course. I went to a couple football games when I was in college at WVU, and, yeah, there was a little rivalry there. I heard a few things that I shouldn't repeat out here.

Q. You've been close to winning a few times out here on tour. What's going to be the key for you this weekend?
BRENDON de JONGE: You know, I think the biggest thing is just getting out of my own way. It's very, very difficult to win out here; it's difficult to win anywhere.
So just sort of staying in what you do, keep going at the same speed you had been the first three rounds if it's the final round. Staying in your own routine I guess is the best way to put it.

Q. Seems like your season this year is mirroring a lot of what you did last year. You come in hot like you were last year. Is that a key to your success?
BRENDON de JONGE: Yeah, I think so. The last couple years I've had a couple stretches where I've played well for an extended period of time. I'm playing nicely coming in this week, so, yeah, hopefully keep it going.

Q. Bogey on 11; are there any holes in particular playing tougher this year?
BRENDON de JONGE: 13 is probably the toughest hole out there, I would say. There's a lot of good holes out there. You've got to drive the ball well.
As firm as these greens are getting now, you struggle to hold it on the greens if you're coming out of the rough.

Q. Your No. 1 in birdies, I believe, right?
BRENDON de JONGE: Yeah.

Q. Obviously you're getting to the green; a lot of birdies today. (Indiscernible) last year maybe to this year coming here and having so many birdies and getting on a roll?
BRENDON de JONGE: Um, yeah, I've made a lot of birdies the last couple years. You know, try and limit the bogeys. That's all I've got to do now.

Q. You're a pretty big hitter, 19th on the tour, something like that. What's impressive mostly is you manage a course well. To be quite honest, you like look a guy that's just going to hit it big and struggle with your short game. You haven't.
BRENDON de JONGE: Thanks.

Q. You're a bit of an anomaly. You manage this course awfully well.
BRENDON de JONGE: Yeah, so far so good. I got a good buddy of mine caddying for me this week, and he's a great player himself.
So, you know, we see a lot of the same things out there, which helps. It's nice to have that a little bit of reassurance. It's been nice.

Q. How many times have you played this course?
BRENDON de JONGE: Probably came up here half a dozen times in college, and then obviously a few times last year. So, I mean, I wouldn't say I played a lot, but maybe a little bit more than some of the guys.
JOHN BUSH: Anything else? All right, Brendon, we appreciate your time. Play well this weekend.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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