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FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSICJune 8, 2013Eric MeierdierksMEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Q. 4-under, 66 in round 3. Was the course playing easier today? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I don't think so much easier. The wind was down for the start of the round, kind of nice. You had to take advantage of a couple wedges you get out here, and it's just tough because the greens are firm. If you get in the rough at all, you can't control the spin and you're just kind of fighting to make a par. So, I played really solid today. I was happy with how I drove it and happy with the strike on all my irons and managed to get around. Q. You didn't seem to have too much of a problem on the 8th hole with the greens or the firmness of the greens. Talk about that. ERIC MEIERDIERKS: The ace always helps the putting stats. That's kind of what I was looking for. It was very nice. The first one I ever made in competition. I've made a handful outside of it, but to see it go in it's always special. Q. Was the course -- were the conditions -- were the pin placements a little bit easier today as opposed to the first two rounds? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: Maybe a touch. It's just you always get a few simpler ones that you got to try to man up and hit a good shot at, and there's always pins out here you have to respect and try not to do anything stupid. Q. Seemed like the entire field played the front-9 much better than the back-9. Can you explain that? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I obviously played it a little bit better because I had a 1 on the front-9. I think a couple of the tees were up a bit on the front. The par 5 3rd was playing pretty easy with the pin fairly accessible away from the water. Couple of the other mid length par-4s the pins were gettable, so you had to really try to take advantage of it if you could. Q. Do you how pronounce your last name? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: What's your best guess? Meierdierks. Just like it's spelled. Q. How do you like the course? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I had a great time out there. It played a touch easier on the front. The pins were pretty accessible and a couple tees were moved up. The par 5 3rd hole played a bit easier, the pin was away from the water so you could -- if you hit a good drive, you could take advantage of it for sure. The greens are still firm, and overall it's just a great layout, really fits my style. Q. What's your mindset this week playing as well as you have? First time you've had an interview on the Saturday. ERIC MEIERDIERKS: It's nice. Q. Do you have to fend off pressure? Are you just playing golf? What's your mindset? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I've had a tough couple months just with scoring. I've been -- one day I'll hit it great and have a million putts and the other days the opposite. It's a big thing for me to stay positive and not try to get too aggressive when things go the wrong way, and par is always a good score. Never really hurts you. So, I've just been trying to take advantage of the holes when I've got a good number, go for it. It's just trying to play golf, really. It's a game. Q. You had the hole-in-one today. In your bio it says one of your favorite golf moments was the first hole-in-one with your father. Take me to that hole. What happened? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: Gosh, 13, 14, I was down in the middle of Illinois in Peoria, and playing a practice round for FCWT or AJJ event and it's the 13th hole. I hit 8-iron. Saw it spin back into the hole, and I was the first one I ever made. It was great that he was there with me. Q. Obviously the story about your dad is prominent. Is it still surreal to you, that experience? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: It's just a difficult experience, but at the same time I know how proud he is of me. It gives me strength to think about all the good memories and good times with him. Q. The Michigan State thing. ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I played here and there in the summer. I played amateur stuff. More of a time for me to figure out me and college golf would have been too much for me to handle at that point. Q. Did you not get a scholarship or did you decide this wasn't -- ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I wasn't really highly recruited. I didn't get really decent at golf until I was 20, 21. I could break par a little bit but couldn't shoot 63 by any means. Q. Who would have thought you were going to be a pro golfer? Was it not -- ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I started playing and playing pretty well. I just kind of thought always going to regret it if I don't give it a chance. So, actually with the help of my dad and mom, lot of people in Chicago, done a lot of things for me to be able to pursue this dream and every day is a bonus. Q. Going to the final day, definitely in contention to win the tournament, how do you handle the excitement and pressure you'll be experiencing? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: It's fun. It's fun. It's good to feel the heartbeat out there. It's been three months really since I've felt it where I've not really made it in on the 3rd day of the tournament because I'm playing so poorly. It's really fun. Q. Did you ever, during your years on the mini tours, think about this, this is crazy? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: Yes and no. My first year I missed 19 cuts in a row. That was pretty disheartening. I went back to Chicago and caddied all summer and got another bank roll together to do it the next year and finally made a cut and kind of been -- Q.Did you leave -- you left Michigan State to do it? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: I left for other reasons. Q. You went back and then do it again? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: Yes. Q. Is it funny, so many college guys. Is it a point of pride that you've done it a different way? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: Not really, no. Just a golfer. Playoff Blackhawks fan. Q. What happened on this hole? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: It was a good number, I think it was 150, 151 to the front. Just a good 8-iron, try to land it on and chase it back. It went in. Q. What's your approach going into tomorrow? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: Probably to get some calls about bar tabs that I have to pay from other people. Don't go too crazy with it. Kind of keep doing the same thing I've been doing. Q. We are going to the final day at 7-under. What do you think it's going to take to get up to the top spot? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: Depends on really the pins, and I saw a couple of pins out there they'll be pretty decent. If it blows, you never really know what's going to happen out there. Hot putter always help. Q. Is your mom watching from home or here? ERIC MEIERDIERKS: She's probably watching from home. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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