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ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANSApril 24, 2014Michael ThompsonAVONDALE, LOUISIANA Q. On that second nine, what was working so well for you? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Really striking the ball well. Hitting it really solid. In this wind, that's what you have to do in order to get it close. I had some tight pins to the edges of the greens, and on top of that I putted really well, especially on the back nine or my front nine. Q. Can you put into words how the conditions were out there this afternoon? Lot of low scores this morning. It seems things really dropped off? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, I think the wind really picked up this afternoon. Greens, typical Bermuda, the grass is going to start to stand up and get a little bumpier. They were still rolling really good. But you just, every now and then, you'd have a spike mark in your way, so that just makes it tough. Kind of low to the green, so to speak, that's what we expect every time we play in the afternoon. Q. I know you've got a bit of a local tie here. What is your history on this golf course? MICHAEL THOMPSON: I actually haven't played here a whole lot. Right when Katrina happened, we were just getting ready to come out here and practice, so really maybe only played twice before Katrina hit. Then we were displaced to Dallas as a team, then in the spring I red shirted. So I haven't played here a whole lot besides just the tournament in the last few years. But I'm starting to get more comfortable playing this golf course. At first, I thought it was a really long, kind of big golf course, and I felt like I had to overpower everything. I'm starting to play more within myself. When I do that, I have rounds like today. Q. How does it feel to play well in New Orleans? I mean, it's got to feel kind of special a little bit. MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, it is. I've got a lot of great memories here going to school here, a few friends that have stuck around, so it's nice to kind of reconnect with the city where I've spent three years. Like I was saying over there, I haven't been able to play this golf course too much. When I was at Tulane, we played at English Turn. I remember working the driving range there during the tournament. So I know this event well, but I'm still getting used to this golf course. I'm starting to play within myself on this course. It has a tendency to be kind of a long golf course, so it's easy to try to overpower everything. But when I play within myself, I usually play well. Q. You guys had to fight the wind a little bit this afternoon too, didn't you? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, it got a little breezy. It's a tough wind that south wind because it seems like almost every hole the wind is pushing the ball towards the water wherever it is, which is never a good thing. So, fortunately, I was hitting the ball really solid which is a great thing to be able to do in the wind. The ball doesn't move very much when you do that. Q. How would you describe the way you were sort of forced to leave Tulane? Just sort of weird, unfortunate? How would you describe it? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, I always described it as a blessing in disguise for me. I loved New Orleans. I loved being in the city, having a lot to do, but I've always told everybody that if I would have‑‑ if Katrina hadn't happened and I stayed at Tulane, I probably wouldn't have developed into the golfer that I am today as quickly. Transferring to the University of Alabama was a great thing for me. Lot of great friends that I've made over there, and living in Birmingham now, a lot of them have moved back to Alabama. So it was a great thing for me. I still love New Orleans. It has a special place in my heart and I look forward to this event every year. Q. Saints are still your favorite team even though you went back to Alabama? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, favorite professional team. Alabama will always be my first love in terms of football, yeah. Q. When you come back here, what is the main spot you hit restaurant‑wise? The one place you missed when you went to Tulane? MICHAEL THOMPSON: It's funny, I was talking to my Pro‑Am partners about this. As a college student I didn't have enough money to be able to enjoy the restaurants in this city, so I didn't get to experience too much of that. I'm kind of learning now, that I'm back here as a professional, I can actually afford to go to some of the nicer restaurants. But it's hard to find a bad restaurant in New Orleans. I think the saying is if you open a restaurant here, it better be good or you're not going to be open for very long. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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