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RENO-TAHOE OPENAugust 3, 2012J.J. HenryRENO, NEVADA THE MODERATOR: J.J., thanks for joining us. Talk about your day. Great bounce‑back from a bogey, bogey start to pick up 12 points. You're at plus 22 right now. Maybe some thoughts only your day and then we'll get some questions. J.J. HENRY: I think I was still asleep the first two holes in the morning. Actually hit good drives and a couple shaky approach shots that let to two bogeys. I knew coming in that I was playing really well.  Obviously excited about being here. I've had some past success here. I've enjoyed coming here. Obviously as much as you would like to be playing in Akron, this is a definitely a fun place to come. Again, I've enjoyed my time here in Reno‑Tahoe and have had some past success here. I think I finished maybe top 5 once or twice in the past. You know, it's all about controlling the distance out here. I'm sure that's obviously what everybody says, but between elevation and then uphill, downhill and then you factor in some swirling winds, you know, it's important to keep the ball in play. If you do and you control your distances, you're going to have some pretty good spots. I think this is a great golf course for this format. I'm so glad the tournament decided to go this route. Obviously the players used to love playing the International in Castle Pines in Denver. To have an event like this on a golf course which in a lot of ways is similar, you know. And the fact that you're at altitude and there is a lot of risk/reward, I think it sets up for a lot of excitement both for the players and fans. THE MODERATOR: What happened on those first two holes? J.J. HENRY: Well, I just‑‑ it was really early in the morning. I hit a great drive down 1 and just hit a wedge that just caught just right of the green and didn't get it up and down. Actually hit a good drive on the second hole, but it was up ‑‑ kind of there was a tree out there about 330 yards on the right side of the fairway. Kind of tried to hit something around the tree and didn't really work. Then just kind of hit the wrong club on my approach shot and ended up missing about a 10‑footer for par. After that I settled down and hit a lot of good shots. Snuck in an eagle on 8 and made the turn and made three birdies coming in. So obviously a lot golf left, but I feel like my game had really come around. Even last week in Canada I think I only may three bogeys in 72 holes ‑ maybe four bogeys. Played pretty consistent the last month or so, and I was really excited coming in here. Obviously to play well the first two days puts myself in a good spot for the weekend. THE MODERATOR: How about the eagle on No. 8, the shot sequence. J.J. HENRY: Yeah, I hit a driver and a 2‑iron that rolled just past the hole about, I don't know, maybe 25 feet or so. Made a nice left‑to‑right breaking putt down the hill. THE MODERATOR: And then 18? J.J. HENRY: Yeah, 18 I hit a shot just short of the green in two and chipped up. Didn't hit the greatest chip, but left it under the hole which have to do out here. Made a nice 12‑footer or so breaking left to right to end the day. Obviously in a good spot for tomorrow. THE MODERATOR: Questions. Q. You started really fast yesterday. Eagle, birdie, birdie, and then it kind of tapered off. Carryover effect into this morning you think? J.J. HENRY: I don't think so. This golf course can sneak up on you. Obviously especially yesterday afternoon. I mean, we battled those winds. We had it about perfect the first 12, 13 holes this morning like I think the guys did yesterday. It played pretty difficult yesterday afternoon. Granted, there are some holes where you can reach par‑5s in two and there was a drivable par‑4 and such. But, you know, it's hard to pick the right club. I think it's hard to putt these greens, too. That's why even if you're playing a traditional stroke‑play event you don't have to shoot crazy under par to win the golf tournament. Just because you play this format, I don't think ‑‑ your mindset might change a little bit here and there, but you're still trying to hit the ball on the fairway and hit a lot of greens and make an occasional birdie. That's kind of what I've done the first couple days. Granted, I got kind of lucky obviously yesterday on the 3rd hole, which was the 12th, and I holed a shot from the fairway to really jump start the round. I hit a lot of good shots even yesterday coming in. I just didn't make any putts. Q. What hole in particular do you think favors into this risk/reward? 18? Is that the signature hole you would like to see on this type of format? J.J. HENRY: I don't know how much risk/reward is on 18. Most guys if they hit a good drive can get on or somewhere close to the green. Obviously it's a pretty tough tee shot. You got to kind of turn it around the conner and then there is some water right of the green and right of the second shot. But the holes I consider probably more risk reward would belike ‑‑ I don't know. They reversed the nine since the last time I played here. I guess it would be10, 11, 12, 13 ‑‑ is it 14, the short par‑4 down the hill, dog leg right? That to me is more of a risk/reward hole because you can hit 6‑iron off the tee and hit a wedge in, or you can try to drive the green. But if you hit it over there left, you know, it puts you in an awkward spot. I consider more a hole like 14 more of a risk/reward as opposed to maybe 18. You know, even in a stroke‑play event you're going to try to go for that green in two anyway. Q. You've had a couple eagles already this week. Is that sort of a mark of playing more aggressive with this Stableford format? J.J. HENRY: Yeah. Again, like I said, I got a little lucky yesterday. I almost made another eagle. I hit it about 15 feet on 13 and just, just, just missed the putt. But starting the week I figured obviously if you can make a couple eagles you're gonna jump a lot guys. I mean, five points you're going to jump a ton of guys out here. And I tried to be patient a little bit, too. You talk about risk/reward, I mean, you're going to make some bogeys on this golf course, especially if you play a little bit more aggressive. The key is not no make double bogeys. If you get in a little tough spot, you know, a bogey is not going to hurt you. Like we said, a birdie and a bogey is better than two pars. But when you start making double bogeys ‑ and you can do it out here in some spots ‑ that's when you really start getting in trouble. The key to avoid the doubles and the pick ups or the minus 3s. And if you can do that ‑‑ like I said, I feel like I'm playing well enough where I'm going to make some birdies. It's just a question of obviously making some putts and keeping the ball in play. Q. Is there anything that was noticeably different for you on the front nine today as opposed to yesterday that contributed to your better score today? J.J. HENRY: No, I mean, ironically, I'm actually ‑‑ the back nine, which was my front nine yesterday, and today I thinkI'm, what, 19 points on that; is that right? Something like that? 11 yesterday and 8 today, so I have 19 points on the back nine this week. So that being said, you know, for whatever reason I've played well on that back. But, you know, again, it's a long way to go. You got to get to probably at least 40 points the way I look at it. I'm halfway home now. That's kind of the goal: get to 40 points and see what happens. The way I look at it, I'm two points ahead of schedule. THE MODERATOR: Any more questions? Okay, thanks, J.J. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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