The German is playing his third PGA Championship
Stefan, a 69 for you to start things off. How would you summarize your day? Uh 67, but yeah, it was a it was a solid day. Um I uh I drove it nicely. Um made some nice putts, momentum putts, some of the par putts. Uh went in and uh made a couple birdies in the back nine, obviously a few in the front. So super happy with my day for sure. Great. Thanks, Juan. Can you talk a little bit about those birdies? I mean, especially the first three and then Yeah. Yeah. Um I had a nice nice seven iron into uh what is it? Four. Um kind of behind the hole uphill putt. Was pretty easy putt. That was the first you know the first putt I saw going in on the day which was nice. Um and then stuck it pretty close on the next hole. Um and then that following hole I had to really got up and down um kind of back left to the green. Um had like 90 feet for for for birdie. So uh get that up and down and two was nice. Um had a good drive on seven which you know always makes that hole a little easier um and hit it just in that back left bunker. It was a pretty simple bunker shot um to that and um you know had a great chance on eight. Um that front part is pretty pretty slloppy so misread that a little bit but uh yeah kept the momentum going with a nice up and down on nine. Um hit in a good spot and two on 10 and and and hit it pretty close. So that was pretty easy birdies. And then um you know 11 12 I had to kind of work a little bit for some pars. Um I guess yeah 12 I made bogey. So um 13 was a really good par for me and made a couple birdies on the short par four and the par five. So if you have to compare the conditions today to the one you played here before in regular two events. What would you say? No. Yeah I mean the conditions are about the same. It’s just not as firm. Normally you know we get a little lucky with the weather. Um fairways bounce a little bit more. normally um than I do this week. It pretty much plugs every every T-shot uh for me anyways. Um but you know that subair is going and the green’s kind of going to get firmer and faster as the week goes on. Um they were manageable today. I felt like you could spin some and and stop at you know mid iron, but um I know you know the weather looks pretty hot for the weekend so it’s going to be you know baked out by the but by by Sunday for sure. Patrick. Hey Stefan, congrats on a very impressive round. If I told you this morning when you woke up you’re going to shoot four under par, what would you have said to me? Yeah, I’d have taken it. Uh I’d have watched them sat in the locker room and and and watched the guys play. But you know, this golf course is is it’s hard. It’s long, you know, plays even longer this week because it’s wet. So, um you’ve got to be able to hit in the fairways and and and decently long in the fairways so you can, you know, hold the greens with mid irons rather than long irons. So, um it’s, you know, every time we play it for for the, you know, for the championship we play here, truest championship now. Um, it’s less rough. Um, Green’s maybe a little firmer. Like I said, they’re going to get firm on the weekend. So, um, 400 around this track. I’m always happy for sure. One. So, one more. You keep being in contention in this event. There’s something about the PGA Championship and you What do you think it is? Yeah. Yeah. You know, I was a little I don’t want to say disappointed, but I was a little surprised we played it down today. Um, but normally the PGA I feel like does a really good job with setup. Uh, it’s always fair, you know, if they have the right golf courses, it’s fair and hard. You know, Valhalla was soft. It was, you know, it was kind of a shootout last year, but that’s just how how it played, right? But, um, I always feel like they set it up, um, not ridiculously hard. They always give you a chance somewhere. Um, you know, some golf course, Oak Hill played really, really hard the first couple rounds um, until we had some rain. But, you know, this place obviously if it’s firm and fast, this place is hard, too. So, you know, I just like the way he set it up. Like I said, I I was a little surprised we played it down. We had a bunch of mud balls out there. So, um, it is what it is. um it’s a major championship. You kind of know going in that if there’s any chance we’re going to play it down, we’re going to play it down. So, um we’re we all get pretty decent at judging some of the mud stuff, but you’re still hitting 215 220 yard five irons that you’re trying to figure out the mud, right? It’s hard enough as it is. But, um like I said, long story short, I always like the way they set it up. Um they always do a good job making it fair but but but hard. Couple of German. Yep. Go ahead. So, German good. That’s good. What’s the question? Who was around today? What worked for you? Yes. Yeah. Super on this. I’m super happy with that one. We were saying there’s something about you and the PGA Championship that your game or feeling comfortable in this kind of setup. Yeah, the PGA of America set up. Thanks for your time. We appreciate.
