DEAN & DELUCA Invitational
Thursday, May 25, 2017
J.T. Poston
Quick Quotes
Q. 5-under par posted. We know you hit 83% of greens in regulation.
J.T. POSTON: Yeah, that was definitely a key. Something I've been working on for a while, my ball striking.
Just tried to stay patient, and a lot of times out there hitting it to 30 feet is a good spot. You've just got to realize that, even if it is with a 9-iron.
I felt like I did a good job staying patient. Was glad to see to pay off.
Q. Now you have the morning which should be calmer tomorrow.
J.T. POSTON: Yeah, I think it'll be a little calmer. I think it will still be it'll be a little windy, so still the same mentality even in the morning. I don't think it'll be quite as gusty as this afternoon.
Definitely try and get out there and post another good one.
Q. Let's talk about today. How proud are you of the round with the wind blowing? You hit the horseshoe and it was about 30 miles an hour out there.
J.T. POSTON: Yeah, it was blowing pretty good. It was just one of those rounds you just got to stay patient. I felt like I did a really good job of that, and it's something I've kind of struggled with recently.
I just hit the ball really good. Felt like I kept it in front of me pretty good. Had a lot of control of where I was hitting it, which is really key with this kind of wind.
Putted it nice, too. Every time I needed to make kind of a good par putt to keep the round going I did, so it was just a good day.
Q. I was impressed again with the ball striking; 15 of 18 greens. Then No. 8 you line up on the right side of the tee box and you carve in a shot, a little cut to three feet. That was a heck of a play.
J.T. POSTON: Yeah, well, with this wind, when it's blowing this hard, it's really hard to turn it against it. With those shots, kind of got to just pick a good line and you can trust it.
It was one of those where I was honestly looking 15, 20 feet out right of it. I just flushed it. It stayed right where I was aiming. It was a good number and went right up there about three feet.
Q. You're a heck of a putter too. Last year on the Web.com, one of the top putters all year. That Scotty Cameron, it's been in the bag for how long? It looks kind of rusty. Did you use that in high school?
J.T. POSTON: Before high school. Actually got it out of my local club that I grew up playing. In eighth grade I won the championship and had some shop credit and that was my choice. It's been in the bag ever since. I guess that's 11 years. Got the same grip and everything on it.
It hasn't let me down yet, so why would I change it?
Q. Yeah, the putter is great and the head cover. The hula dancer on the putter. It's a Hawaiian hula dancer I think, right?
J.T. POSTON: Yeah, we got 'em. Scotty Cameron hooked us up with them in Hawaii at the Sony at the start of the year. I thought it was great. Those things are really cool. So many ideas they come up with.
I mean, it's probably going to stay on there for a while, too. It's working.
Q. You ever played here before?
J.T. POSTON: Not until Monday. Pro-Am was the first time.
Q. Did you like the course?
J.T. POSTON: Yeah, played it Monday and Tuesday with similar -- or opposite winds to today. Yeah, I love it. Sets up well for my game I feel like.
Q. Has that been kind of the year for you, that you're learning courses the week you show up?
J.T. POSTON: Yeah. The only course that I've showed up to and had played before RSM in Sea Island where I lived.
Everywhere else I'm playing a lot of these Mondays. I'm just trying to learn these courses, figure out where I can and can't hit it and go from there.
Q. What did you do well today?
J.T. POSTON: Ball striking. I mean, I felt like I did a lot of things well. I hit the tee ball pretty good. Hit the irons really good. Hit a lot of greens. Definitely made a good amount of putts, especially good par putts to kind of keep the round going. Especially the last. I had a good probably 7-, 8-footer for par to finish on a good note.
I got some good breaks. A round like that you're going to get some good ones.
Q. What was the best one?
J.T. POSTON: Break?
Q. Yeah.
J.T. POSTON: I mean, I don't know. My tee ball on three, kind of into you off the left. Just kind of a tough tee shot for me. I hit a good shot but it just kind of got right in the wind to the left. Those bunkers are no good.
I didn't think I could fly the second one, and it flew the second one by just a little bit and then barely skirted by the third one right in the middle of the fairway. I had 8-iron into the hole. A lot of guys were probably hitting a lot more.
Made a tough hole a little bit easier with that break.
Q. What's been the best part of the year?
J.T. POSTON: I would say just consistency. This is honestly one of the first rounds I feel like my ball striking was the way it can be and should be. It's something --
Q. This year?
J.T. POSTON: Yeah, it's something I've been kind of struggling with. I've had some flashes, some good rounds, ball striking rounds, but hadn't been consistent. It's something I've been working on for a while, especially the last couple weeks.
Yeah, I mean, that's probably the most encouraging part is I feel like I haven't quite hit it like I want to yet this year, but I've still been close enough and good enough around the greens to give myself some other chances and make a decent amount of cuts.
Yeah, so that's why it's been a focus point for me.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
Rev #1 by #179 at 2017-05-25 23:13:00 GMT
