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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPMay 10, 2013Kevin ChappellPONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA Q. Kevin, congratulations, great round. How important was it to get off to a great start today? You were 5‑under through your first seven. KEVIN CHAPPELL: Well, it's big to feel like you can take advantage of the golf course. I had momentum going the right direction, and it seems to be when you get the ball rolling out here, you can take advantage. But if you get behind the 8‑ball it's tough to make up ground. Q. Did you feel from the first tee that you had a good round in you today? KEVIN CHAPPELL: I mean, the first tee I hit it 50 yards right and made a 20‑footer for par. But I hit a good tee shot on 11, and that's a pin you can really take advantage of. I hit a good shot and rolled it in. Q. You said you're trying to come up with your own blueprint for this course. What holes are you more conservative on now than you have been the first two years? KEVIN CHAPPELL: 2 and 9, really just trying to get the ball in the fairway. I don't draw it great off the tee so 2 is not the best tee shot for me, so I've laid back. I know as long as I can get it around that green I've got a chance in two, so that worked out well for me today. Yesterday I actually hit a terrible tee shot on 2. But just picking my spots, knowing what pins you can score on and what pins you can't and just trying to play my game. Q. You're no stranger to playing in big tournaments as evidenced by the U.S. Open. How much did those tournaments prepare you for an event like this? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, you're starting to get the bounce out there like you get in U.S. Opens, and for me my attitude in U.S. Opens is everyone is going to make bogeys, so it's not too much stress when I make a bogey. But it's similar in the sense you've got to take advantage of your opportunities. This course gives you the four par‑5s and a few holes you get wedges in, but other than that on the weekend it's going to be hard to hit it close to the hole, so you've got to score on the scoring holes. Q. Are you surprised with how this course is playing that you're at 9‑under? KEVIN CHAPPELL: No, the scores are good. I think as the week goes on you won't see as many low scores, the firmness of it, and I think the wind is supposed to blow and we'll get some weather. Q. Did it play similar this morning as it did yesterday afternoon? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, the greens are still soft, soft enough where you could land it near some of those holes, but it definitely started to firm up there towards the end of the day. Q. There's already been five eagles on No.11 today. Any particular reason why that is so receptive to‑‑ KEVIN CHAPPELL: It's a back pin, so any ball that lands towards the front half of the green is going to release back there, and it's a small green so you're not going to have too long of an eagle putt if it lands on the surface. Q. Is the lack of wind enabling people to be more aggressive? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, I think that hole is off the right, if I'm not mistaken, so it's not playing any longer than it should be playing. Q. Golf Channel had Mark Russell on the air today and there's been some chatter about how the course is playing too easy. It's playing too easy. This is THE PLAYERS Championship. When you stick 144 of the best players in the world on any course with no wind and good weather like this, are you guys going to tear it up? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, I mean, the course is in great condition. The greens are rolling as pure as anything we've played all year, so you get the ball on line it's going to go in the hole. That's going to lead to good scores, and there hasn't been any wind. The more wind and the firmer the greens get the tougher it's going to be. Q. You guys are just doing what you do? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, I think this course when it's not too firm, there's not too much wind, all the par‑5s are gettable, so they're giving you four. And I think that's what you're seeing is guys taking advantage of those par‑5s. Q. How would you characterize your season to this point? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Interesting. My good finishes have been great. My weekend scoring average is nice, just have to get there. I haven't done that too many times but looking forward to the challenge of this weekend. Q. Does your weekend scoring average give you confidence that you can do it again? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah. It's obviously a different week, a different animal here, but I've played well on the weekend and feel comfortable being uncomfortable, so I look forward to it. Q. Weren't you the medalist across the street in college? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, I was. Q. Is that tougher in March than this one is in May? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Definitely more wind, that's for sure. Q. I hear you've been sick over the last few days. How are you dealing with it? KEVIN CHAPPELL: I'm three for three in this event. I had the flu last year, got food poisoning the year before and just kind of congested this year. I've been trying to get a lot of rest and eat the right things and take the right drugs out there to keep me somewhat sane. Q. Are you better than you were at the beginning of the week? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Yeah, improving. I need some rest, though. Kind of got a little spacey out there at the end of the round but I made it. Q. Are you going to be able to sleep tonight? KEVIN CHAPPELL: I usually don't have too much trouble sleeping no matter what situation I'm. Q. You were getting spacey out there? KEVIN CHAPPELL: Just a little hungry, a little hot, on some medication, just a little daydreaming. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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