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JOHN DEERE CLASSICJuly 15, 2012Troy MattesonSILVIS, ILLINOIS THE MODERATOR: Troy Matteson, it was a great week for you here at the John Deere Classic. You got out of the gate in round one, and here you are afterwards. Obviously not the ideal finish, but go got to be feeling good about the way you played. Certainly the shot that's going to go down for the tournament the eagle to really get you into the playoff. Overall just got to be feeling great, especially to know there is a plane after this waiting for you. TROY MATTESON: Yeah, I mean, it's been a great. For how I played this year, this has been a really good finish for me. I'm not disappointed at all really. I'm kind of shocked I got into a playoff because I just didn't play my best today, but kind of hung in there. Luckily that putt went in on 17. Figured I just better make a run at it. When I got on 18 in regulation I figured the worst I could do is second at that point, so I decide take a run at it too and make it interesting. All in all, you go into a playoff and lose to a shot like that, I mean, that's an unbelievable shot. To hit it six inches to that hole location, I mean, if you ask most pros, they'll take middle of the green where my ball was all day long. My hat's off to Zach. He drove it in the bunker twice and figured out a way to win. It's a great story, you know, hometown kid. It was really good. THE MODERATOR: Questions. Q. (Question regarding British Open.) TROY MATTESON: Yeah, it's a heck of a way to play a qualifier for four days. Probably easier if you just played the 36‑hole qualifier. When I started this week I really didn't think about the British Open. I was really keyed in on going to the Rockford Pro‑Am. They've been great to me over the years. It's fun to play and then go to Mississippi. Most of us like to play in Mississippi. It's a little hot, but we like the golf course down there. I was pretty dead set that I might come out here and play pretty decent and then kind of move on. To go across the pond ‑‑ this will be my first time over thereand I think I've tried it qualify about nine times and haven't gotten in. This week I finally did. Like I said, any finish in the top 10 would have been good for me this week. Q. Which shot was more amazing, second shot on 17 or the putt on 18? TROY MATTESON: You know, the shot on 18 doesn't happen if I don't make the putt on 17. I haven't made a lot of long putts this year and I've made some this week. So to make one like that really makes you feel good, because finally you're the guy doing it and not watching somebody else do it. You know, I just haven't made many threes. That was my first eagle this tournament, and this is a tournament where generally you can have some eagles. I think that's probably my biggest shot this year. Q. How good did it feel after you had the two chipping mishaps? TROY MATTESON: Yeah, I mean, you know, when you misread on these greens, it's just so difficult with where they put the pins. You know, on 14, I didn't have that putt to chip, but it was tough to get it inside about four feet. Just didn't play it correctly. But to come back and get it equal there on 17 at the end was definitely a pick‑me‑up. It was certainly unexpected. Q. How would you describe the first hole in the playoff? TROY MATTESON: You know, it's kind of weird, because when it's a match play situation, par goes out the window. Zach laughed when he got up on the tee. He goes, Man, made 6 and I guess we still got the honor.  (Laughing.) Playoffs are a weird deal because it's two guys, that's it, and really doesn't matter how long the hole is, where the pin placement is. It just matters the number of shots. I'm looking at where he is and he's looking at where I am. I figured he could get it on the green, so I just figure I'll take a shot at it. After those two drives, gosh, we were probably lucky to make 6, and luckily it didn't happen in regulation to us. 18 is a difficult hole. That's the way D.A. set it up. He set it up to be a good finishing hole. It's just really hard to put one right down the middle there. Q. When you hit it in the water did you think you were dead? TROY MATTESON: Yeah, pretty sure he was going to play out to the right and make a 5 and then make me make 5. His shot actually wasn't that far off of being pretty good. I don't know if it would have held the green, but certainly wouldn't have put him outside of making 5. But I was actually fortunate that his ball did what it did. But all in all, it's like I said, it's a match play situation. Q. In the early rounds it seemed like you were very relaxed. Was there a point today where that stopped being the case? TROY MATTESON: No. I was pretty relaxed this week. Usually I'm a Nervous Nelly. Usually I'm pretty bad. I can't sleep at night. I'm like everybody else that plays with a lead. I was relatively calm today and not even sure why. Still pretty calm in the playoff. That's not usually the way I am. Hopefully that's a sign of getting older and getting a little bit used to it. But, you know, I've still got long way to go to get to where Zach and Steve are. They've had so much tournament experience. Zach had to fight to get out here. He played on the Hooter's TOUR for a while, won the web.com TOUR, Money List, and gets out here and wins some events. He's really made himself. You know, my hat's off to him. That guy has really done his homework and worked hard. Q. We talked to you yesterday about the potential for you to be the bad guy in a showdown with Zach and Stricker. Did that creep into your mind today? TROY MATTESON: No, because every other time I've had a chance to win ‑aside from Puerto Rico, and no one on tour is really from Puerto Rico‑‑ so chances are when you're playing‑‑ and the people down there are great. They love everybody. That's just the way they are. When you're playing up here you're playing in somebody's backyard. First win on tour I was playing in somebody's backyard. Second win I was playing in another person's backyard. It's normal at this point. Like I said, hopefully another decade down the road people will jump on my side a little bit. The people were great this week. It's just natural for them to want Zach and Steve to win. A lot of the people were rooting me on, so it was great. Q. Do you feel like you picked up some support this week? TROY MATTESON: I do. I do. People up here are really nice, easygoing. It's a great place to come and hang out and play. The why guys like it here. It's not tough like sometimes you play in New York. I mean, New York is tough. People are tough. But here it's a little bit more relaxed. Q. Did you learn some things about yourself this week? TROY MATTESON: Yeah, like I said, I was pretty surprised that I was a little bit more laid back than I thought I would be. Maybe that's a sign of maturity kicking in, like I said. Q. What tournament should be in your backyard? TROY MATTESON: Oh, gosh. I lived in Atlanta for 11 years and they had the tournament there and I had a chance to win, but obviously they don't play there anymore. Now I'm in Austin, so, you know, the San Antonio event I feel like it's kind of my backyard because it's close to home. There are so many guys from Dallas and a only couple three guys from San Antonio, so... Q. Maybe you could look at a home on the course. TROY MATTESON: Maybe I do. Maybe if I buy a house out here maybe they'll let me build on the course somewhere. (Laughter.) Q. (No microphone.) TROY MATTESON: Growing up in Texas we have a lot that. No rough, a lot of mounding, bunkers you can't hit out of. I mean, that's kind of what we played in high school. I mean, 'munies. That's kind of what we played. It's like the sprinkler system goes right down the middle of the fairways, and everything else doesn't get touched. If you hit a good drive, it goes 400 yards, lands at 290 and rolls about 100 yards or more. Then the greens that I grew up on were very, very firm. You know, it's one thing that surprising about how I played this week. These greens are very difficult for me because I spin the ball so hard, so it's hard for me to run shots in there. So I'm looking forward to it. That's my two cents on it. I might get over there and find it's very different. THE MODERATOR: Okay, Troy, best of luck next week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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