Travelers Championship
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Patrick Cantlay
Quick Quotes
Q. How did you feel about your ball striking?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I hit the ball really well today. One missed shot cost me two. I didn't make very much, but hit the ball very well all the way around. I'll take that with me and come out firing in the next rounds.
Q. You've shot 60 around this place. Obviously know what Jim did here. We have a soft golf course. It's receptive. The wind is not blowing this morning; expecting lower scores.
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, it's easy out there. There are some tough hole locations, but it's easy. People are going to keep making birdies every day. Got to come out with that aggressive mindset and make more birdies.
Q. How are you keeping your energy up? Obviously been one hell of a month.
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, just really taking advantage of my down time and not doing a lot. I got three weeks off after this one before the British Open, so looking forward to that.
Q. There is one blemish on an otherwise solid opening round. Take that away; focus on the positives. What worked for you today?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Everything was good. Hit the ball really well tee-to-green. Hit a lot of smart shots. You could be aggressive out there, but couple hole locations were a little dicey and you got to respect those.
I didn't actually make a lot putts. I hit a lot of good putts but not a lot went in. I'll just take the ball striking to the next round and come out firing and see how many I can make.
Q. You recently notched win No. 2 on the PGA TOUR. What's changed for you as you go from win one to win two going forward?
PATRICK CANTLAY: It doesn't feel like a lot has changed, you know. My mindset for a while has been come out, win the golf tournament every week, and I've been close. I've played really well.
But it's nice to get another one, and hopefully I can build on that momentum. My mindset for a while has been come out and win golf tournaments, and it's still the same.
Q. You've made a big jump in the last year and a half in the World Rankings. You're all the way up to eighth now. How does that shift your goals going forward when you see peer group that you're now associated with?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Not a lot. It's probably my first true ranking in a while because I just came back a little over two years ago. Took me that long to get that many events in the system.
I don't know. I'm coming out every week, I'm trying to win, and wherever the chips fall, they fall. My mindset is get prepared as I can for every event and come out and try to win.
Q. You've got some good history here. Good start today with this 4-under, 66. I feel there is a tinge of disappointment there. Just talk your round today.
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I mean, I hit the ball really well all day except for one swing, and just came in the wrong spot. Instead of costing me one it cost me two.
It's fine. It's the first round. I feel really, really good about my game. Hitting ball really, really solid. And I actually didn't make that much today, so there is a bunch more birdies out there.
Going to be soft all week I think, and coming out firing every day and see how many birdies I can make.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
PATRICK CANTLAY: Just hit it a little fat and it's got to get up in the air to get the wind. It was downwind and didn't get the wind because I hit it fat and went in the water.
Q. What has the Travelers Championship come to mean to you given your history here?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, well, I turned pro here in '12 and I played well here as an am in '11. So I do feel really comfortable around here, and I like coming back to places that I like playing golf at.
I think that makes a big difference, knowing the golf course and feeling comfortable around it, and I definitely do around here.
Q. The journey you've been on since the 60 when you were an amateur and going through the back issues and coming back, you think about that when you come here and think what a trip it's been?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I definitely look back here on that round with fond memories. It was like only my second tour event and I wasn't really expecting to come out and shoot a score like that.
But, yeah, it's nice to come back to a place where you've had success. I definitely feel comfortable around here. It's one of the only golf courses I think I get on the first tee at the beginning of the day and think I can birdie every hole. That's what it feels like.
That's a good mindset. I think I'll need it going forward the next three days.
Q. Made six birdies; do you feel like there are even more out there for you? (Indiscernible.)
PATRICK CANTLAY: Sure. Yeah, I haven't made a putt outside 20 feet in three rounds or three tournaments or something. As soon as some of those start going in there is a low one out there for me.
Q. Talk about the greens today and under the conditions people are saying it's as good as it's ever been.
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, it's perfect. Conditions are really good. It's a shame that it rained because I think if it didn't it could play firm and fast. I've played this place a lot of years where it is wet like this.
But the golf course is in fantastic shape, and I think a lot of guys are going to shoot good scores every day.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
Rev #1 by #179 at 2019-06-20 16:58:00 GMT
