CONSTELLATION FURYK & FRIENDS PRESENTED BY CIRCLE K

October 6, 2024

Rocco Mediate

Timuquana Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Rocco, congratulations --

ROCCO MEDIATE: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: -- on your first victory since 2019.

ROCCO MEDIATE: I can't believe it.

THE MODERATOR: How does this one feel for you?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Amazing. Like I said it was for the little one. Gets her a little trophy which is cool just to win anything, and this is one of our best events for sure.

I don't know, this golf course, Jim and Tabitha, I don't know what else to say.

Q. The combination of everything, course, sponsor...

ROCCO MEDIATE: Sponsor, coming back, Circle K, everybody. The golf course was -- for what they've had to deal with we didn't know this, but it's ridiculous that we could even play. You could tell there was -- with the little bit of rain today was not a lot of places to put things, like golf balls and stuff like that.

So it was hard.

Q. First playoff hole, Bob made his putt. Were you thinking anything differently? Still feel confident? First playoff hole?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, yeah, I expect that. You expect that. I even told Pete, expect this to go in, and it did. To make that one, I mean, I don't know what you can call it, just read it a little offside right and it moved. I hit it. That's what it did.

It was never going to be short. The putts in regulation I hit exactly like I wanted. That's how it goes. Just pop the edge and -- but then, yeah, that was cool that that happened.

But you either make it or you don't, so it's not like it's going to -- it had some pace because it had to.

Q. 15 when the ball trickled back into the rough were you in a divot or something?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Yeah, it was brutal. Here is the thing you're thinking of believe it or not. If I don't hit this hard enough I'm going to hit it again. It's going to come right to me.

I just popped it a little too much and I got lucky it didn't go over the green. I didn't pay attention to the left side of that green because I hit a shot kind of like I wanted.

Might have hit couple feet left of where I was looking. There was nothing left. I needed to be right and I didn't pay attention to that and obviously it cost me.

Q. Bob sitting there, hit that pretty gutsy second shot.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, my God, beautiful second shot. Just a matter of time. He's a wonderful player. Great guy. You know, he could have won obviously just as easily as I did.

Q. This means you won in four decades; is that right?

ROCCO MEDIATE: 20s to 60s, five. I set out this year and I said I would like to win in my 60s.

I'll be darned. (Laughter.) I'll be darned.

Q. Sam Snead is ahead of you. No, he has six.

ROCCO MEDIATE: I'm sure he -- yeah, but I think it's cool that happened. For it to happen here, this golf course, I've never played it well the three years or -- the fourth year, right? Yeah. Three years before, I never played it well.

Q. But you got better every year.

ROCCO MEDIATE: I got a little better, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Improved 16 spots after the first year, 15 after the second year and 14 now.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Nice. There you go. I did improve. It's a place -- these old school places you got to learn them. You just do.

Q. Can you explain to people about these greens?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, my God.

Q. Half of the green isn't really a green and the slopes.

ROCCO MEDIATE: You know, Ross was notorious for that. Back when he built them green speeds were seven or eight; now when they're 12, 13, 11. Now they really become difficult.

And even I hit a beautiful 5-iron in to 13 -- 14? 14. I had a 20 feet left of the hole and I'm looking going, it's straight down the hill. You know, kind of a funky putt, but it's like you can't -- there is only a few safe places here.

That's why it's hard to make a -- I mean, first couple days I made more birdies. I don't know what I made today. You had to play a lot of safer shots out there because it would just chew you up. I don't know how many bogeys I made this week but not a lot.

Q. Does this feel different than some other ones? Is it more gratifying in some way that there has been bit of a struggle to get the next one?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, yeah, yeah, it's been forever. Been struggling a lot. Golf swing got better and better, and this week was good most of the time.

Today, not so -- you know, in spots it wasn't good. Also hitting so many 3- and 4-irons, like the first playoff hole. Just trying to trap it down low and I got behind a little bit. No good.

But the second one was as good as I can make a swing, which I look back at and go, that's what I changed some of these things for.

So that's very satisfying that I got another one.

I mean, it's a lot. I can't believe it. I'm 1000 years old. I don't know what to tell you.

Q. Going to play everything here on out?

ROCCO MEDIATE: No, I was never playing next week because I'm taking -- Francesca has a fall break. We never had fall breaks when I was in school. So fall break so I'm taking her to believe it or not, Vegas. Taking her to O, the show. Take her to the Sphere, wax museums assume, gondola rides at the Venetian. Stuff that I would never do. I'm going to take her.

Everyone says you're taking her to Vegas? Yeah, might I gamble? Maybe. That's not what we're there for.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

ROCCO MEDIATE: Right.

Q. As far as guys below?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, no, I just want to -- you know, at first it was a top 36 goal obviously. Now before that it's like Jeff said, why don't you try to be in the top 20 or higher obviously. So it's -- gets rid of that lower feeling.

So the last three weeks have been amazing for me. Amazing. Quite pleased. A lot of good things happened.

And Pete Bender, like I said, my caddie, he hates it but he is mainly -- I won 75% of the money I won in my golf career with this man.

Q. He's apparently pretty good.

ROCCO MEDIATE: He's good with me. And always says the right thing. Always.

Q. That's a real skill.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Yes, it is, especially if you know he's right. (Laughter.)

Q. Well, even if you don't, for a caddie to just show up and say the right thing to help win a golf tournament, it takes guts.

ROCCO MEDIATE: He's good. He hates when I say that. I don't care.