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NORTHERN TRUST OPENFebruary 14, 2014Robert GarrigusPACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA CHRIS REIMER: Robert, finished at 8‑under, one off the clubhouse lead, has to feel good sitting here after 36 holes. ROBERT GARRIGUS: Yeah, it's nice to just make the cut here, let alone playing as well as I am. I usually don't play that well here, but you know, this week, I changed my attitude and I kind of added this tournament late on my schedule about Sunday night. I decided I was going to fly down here and give it a shot because I want to get into the match play and I think I have to win to do that. All systems go. This golf course is in phenomenal shape, probably the best I've ever seen it, and it's nice to see it's firm, it's fast and there's going to be some fun on the weekend. Q. How do you actually pull that off, convincing yourself that you like a place that you haven't liked? ROBERT GARRIGUS: Well, I'm pretty strong mentally. I guess I've dealt with a lot of things in my life that lead to that. I'm sure you all are very aware of that. I can will myself to do that. I have pretty goodwill power so as soon as I stepped on the first hole this week, I'm like, I absolutely love this place. Even though I haven't played well here before, you know, it's just one thing that I pride myself in is my mental game. I can be pretty calm when things are turning inside, so it's nice to be out here, and I'm starting to really like it, just because I'm actually seeing the reads. I've never really been able to see the reads. I'm rolling it good. My speed's good. It's been steamrolling which is really nice to see. Q. Is the change of thought process, is it just restricted to this tournament or is this a new kind of thought process in terms of trying to be a little more positive in general? ROBERT GARRIGUS: Well, it could be. It could turn into a few more golf tournaments that I haven't really played well at. That's a good question. If you think about it, there are a lot of places where people play well and a lot of places where you don't. There's a reason why Tiger doesn't come here is because it doesn't fit his eye, and that's one of the things I struggled with. But this week, I switched drivers a couple weeks ago and I'm starting to hit a cut and a lot of these tee shots are cut tee shots, and it's kind of snowballed. On 17, I can set it on the left and I've completely eliminated the left side of the golf course out here and that's a huge deal. I have short irons in and it's starting to be kind of nice actually, especially on Saturday, because I think I've only made one cut. It's been a lot of fun this week. Q. What was the driver switch you made? ROBERT GARRIGUS: Actually, at San Diego I cracked my SLDR TaylorMade in a place where it doesn't crack. It cracked on the shaft all the way down toward the heel of the club. They said the torque of how fast I was swinging it cracked it, so I kind of giggled and I'm like, well, you guys need to get me a new one. . I got a new one and I started swinging it well and I've been hitting it so good, and just haven't got many results, haven't got many breaks and I haven't rolled a lot of putts in. This week I'm making a lot of putts, and this is a phenomonal tournament and to be playing as well as I am is very gratifying. Q. Are the firm and fast conditions part of the success you think this week, that helping your game at all? ROBERT GARRIGUS: Absolutely. If I'm hitting it as far as I am and I'm keeping it in the fairway, I'm able to spin it with short irons. And my caddie told me that when I got here, he's like, man, you're going to love it this week, because if you can hit the fairway‑‑ I mean, I sit sand wedge into 18 today, and don't think I've ever done that. I hit 7‑wood into 17 which is a 250‑yard shot. So I was hitting those balls 350, 360, and it's laughable, because I've never hit a sand wedge into 18. I think I've hit 17 once with a 3‑wood, so I mean, it's boding well because I'm hitting it straight and if I'm hitting it straight and I'm swinging confident, it's going to be a lot of fun this weekend if I can keep my composure. Q. How have you felt generally about the state of your game, and what would a strong finish here do for you? ROBERT GARRIGUS: You know, the state of my game, I fell off. I haven't had a Top‑10 since the Match Play last year, and it's really‑‑ it's bugged me, you know, just because I felt like I belong in the Top‑50 in the world. So most of the times, I feel like I'm in the Top‑10, Top‑20 ball‑striking‑wise, and I'm just not getting the breaks and not making the putts. You know, that's golf. I think a good finish here would really help everything; not even winning, just being there on the weekend and being in contention. That's the funnest part about what we do is being there on the weekend and feeling the nerves and going out there and being on TV and having fun, and this weekend should be a lot of fun. I'm going to go out and smash it around and see what happens. CHRIS REIMER: Any key shots, part of the round, anything that saved the round or made it. ROBERT GARRIGUS: You know, there was a‑‑ I think it was 10,11, 12‑‑ no, 13, I hooked a pitching wedge from 140 yards. It was a perfect yardage and I get it down there and I hit it in the spot where you can't hit it on 13 down in the left, down the bottom there and I chipped it like 20 feet by and I made that par putt. And those are putts that keep your round going and keep your whole state of mind, your confidence, everything; and then I ended up getting a couple good up‑and‑downs there on 14 and 15 and 16. And then an eagle on 17, that got me more confident, and it's just one of those things where those par‑savers, those are huge. I missed those couple short ones on those last couple holes but I didn't feel like I made a bad stroke. So that was a pretty good one, that 20‑footer for par that kept the day going. Q. Does it feel like it's been a long time since you've won? ROBERT GARRIGUS: Yeah, a little bit. I feel like one year in 2012, I had five runner‑ups and I got to almost 30th in the world, I think I was 31 or 32 in the world and I didn't realize after I won Disney, and I blew the lead in Memphis, I went out the next week in Maui and almost won; lost in a playoff. I've had so many close chances, I've had a lot of chances and close calls. So it's been‑‑ feels like ten years since I won, definitely, and it's only been, what four almost five. But you're going to go through stretches like that in your career, and right now, I feel like I'm hitting it just as good as I was in 2012. I'm just not seeing the results, but this week is a pleasant surprise, especially on a golf course that I've never played well, so it makes me think I can play them all well and that's a big confidence booster. Q. How much have you kept track or know much about the freeway closure here and are you making any different arrangements as far as where you're staying? ROBERT GARRIGUS: My caddie, I'm sure, has paid close attention. I'm sure he has to get on the 405‑‑ he didn't want to stay in Santa Monica because I don't pay him ten grand a week. I'm staying in right downtown Santa Monica, so I whip up San Vicente and to Sunset; it's pretty easy. It's actually a pretty nice week, if you stay in Santa Monica. But if you say anywhere other than that, it's a nightmare. I mean, you guys know as well as I do, you get on those roads out here and it's a parking lot. It's the only city I've ever seen somebody sell flowers and newspapers on the freeway. It's kind of crazy. Doesn't happen very often. Here and Baltimore maybe, that's about it. CHRIS REIMER: Robert, good luck tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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