MEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION

August 2, 2024

Scottie Scheffler

Le Golf National

Quick Quotes

Q. What kind of lie did you have in the rough and how did you recover from that?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I hit a pretty bad lie. I advanced it about four feet.

Q. Did that surprise you?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah. I thought with the wedge, I took a sand wedge out of there and swung really hard and thought it would come put and I was surprised. The next one I hit about 70-yard, hit the thick stuff. I practised in it and knew where I hit it was a pretty bad spot with how low it was, and that's where the water collects. So you know it's going to be thick down there. I knew not to hit it there, and I did anyways.

Q. It's Friday, and as well as you've been playing for a really long time, is there a calmness to you that when you have a blunder that you just move on and know you're going to make up for it, or is there panic?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I mean, panic is definitely not the right word.

But when you look up the at the leaderboard, I think at the time I was maybe nine shots back or something like that. Around a golf course like this where the scores are going to continue to get lower, it could be tough to catch up. I needed to do something to get back in the tournament. I did a good job.

I think that's the internal battle you have of staying patient. I know if I stay patient around this golf course and play well, I can shoot a low score. It's just a matter of if I start freaking out and start forcing things, you're going to get in trouble really fast.

Q. You didn't force anything. You just played good golf.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Played pretty solid golf.

Q. I guess one hole, you would only be a few shots back. Do you feel in good shape going into the weekend?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would like to be leading. Like I said, I'm proud of the back nine. Get myself back into it. Like I said, I was pretty far back so it was nice to string some good holes together and hole some putts. Definitely ride that momentum the next couple days.

Q. I know this is new to you, this Olympic stuff, but at a tournament where nothing but 1, 2, 3 matters, is that in your head? 4th is usually a good week.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Fourth is a decent week in your perspective. Maybe, but I think to the rest of us, or at least myself, I try to not focus too much on the results and try to stick to my process.

My attitude the last couple days has been, I would say, pretty good, not my best but pretty good. Hoping for the next couple days to continue to improve on that.

Q. Where is the attitude lacking?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think at times maybe just lacked a little intensity. Like that shot I hit off 7, I think I was just a bit distracted by some stuff and could have focused a bit better. It was an uncharacteristic swing shot for me. After that, you hit it in the hay, you don't know what's going to happen. I knew if I hit it down there, I was going to be pretty screwed.

17 was a great shot.

Really, No. 9, I hit what I felt like was another good putt, and I totally misread it. I looked at Teddy and was like, I cannot read these greens right now, I don't know what it is. He started reading putts with me on the back nine, and I rolled a nice one in there on 10. Another really good one on 11 and you know, after that, hit a lot of good putts and still around the lip, but was pleased with how I rolled it. Made a nice par putt on 16 as well.

Overall, felt like I kind of righted the ship today which was important, and kept me in the tournament for the next couple days.

Q. Do you guys disagree much?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: No. The way I was feeling, I wasn't really going to disagree with what he was saying. It's like, yeah, man, you just tell me what to do here and I'll oblige.

Q. The team aspect to this, where with the other U.S. guys, has there been anything different from a normal tournament? Are you guys like hanging out? I know there was the practise rounds.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Outside of the practise rounds, I would say not really. The practise rounds, all playing together, that was the biggest team aspect. Once the tournament starts, I think it's best for us to stick to our normal routines and that's what we've been doing this week.

You know, guys are not going to stick around and cheer me on on 18 because they have to get home and get ready for their round tomorrow, you know what I mean.

So yes, we are coming over as a team, but I think what's best for our team is if all of us individually play really well.