Q. What was clicking for you today out there?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: Really just felt comfortable with everything. I've had a left miss all season, and I think over the last two weeks I've been at home, I've kind of solved that.
I wasn't fearing the left ball today, which is huge, and then whenever you're feeling comfortable with other things, other things start to fall in line.
Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season. It's been a while.
Q. When would you say the last time was that you felt this confident?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: It's funny, a lot of Wednesdays I've felt really good going into the tournament and then Thursday comes around and it hasn't been there. I don't know if it's just the stress of playing in a PGA TOUR event, but this one, it was nice to feel good on Wednesday and then actually take it into Thursday.
Q. The last couple weeks did you work with someone or how did you figure it out?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: I think I was getting really close with myself and then got some good advice from friends and family and people watching me play golf, a lot of people around me. Made a grip adjustment, and yeah, it was just an easy fix, which is always annoying. You want it to be -- in your mind it seems like it's something crazy, but it really isn't, it's just something minor, which is nice, obviously. But it's frustrating because it was just one piece away the whole time.
Q. What did you change in the grip? What was the adjustment?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: I just went a little weaker with my right hand and I was able to release the club properly at that point. I wouldn't say it was weak, it had just gotten really strong, and I hadn't paid attention to that. I was focusing on the other aspects of the golf swing, so just a little bit weaker, more on top of the club.
Q. You hear players talk about, I'm really close or I feel like something is coming. How fine a line is it between a player like you going out and shooting 69 or 70 and sort of breaking through today, a career low score? How close are those two things to being together?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: It's funny, my college coach when I was at Oklahoma State used to always say, when you're off, you're never that far from playing good golf, and whenever you're on, you're not that far from playing bad golf. You're playing on a fine line, and confidence plays a huge part in it.
It's a funny game, and like you said, I've felt close all year, and that's why I kept playing. I felt like a week was coming and it was just all going to click. I just needed one good round and I was going to be good. It just hadn't happened yet.
But it was great to show myself I can still do it today.
Q. Did you have an appreciation when you first came out on TOUR and were out here on a regular basis how much of the game was going to be a mental approach like what you're talking about and how much of it was going to be a physical difference, shots between you and other players out here, that balance? Were you aware of that?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: I kind of was. I had two really good -- I wouldn't say they were role models, but my teammates came out here immediately and had success, Viktor and Matt Wolff, and they kind of gave me the confidence going in at the time that I knew compete with them so I knew I could compete out here.
But it's a different ballgame out here. Week in, week out, you're having to grind. But the mental aspect of it with playing in front of people, with cameras and all that stuff, I'd say I was aware of it just because I had two buddies that had just done it, but yeah, it's still a shock when you get out here.
Q. It's supposed to get really hot over the course of the next couple days. What, if anything, will you do that might be different to recover or to anticipate? Do you drink more, do cold plunge? What do you do coming off a really good round to put your body in position to keep doing that over the next three days?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: I know the game -- it felt like it was in a really good spot today, so I'll go out and do a quick practice, and just kind of -- I do it every round, a cool-down is what I call it, just go hit a few shots, hit a few putts, just take my mind off of what happened that day.
Then after that, yeah, just hydrating. Haven't gotten into the cold plunges yet. Maybe another time but not this week.
Q. Is there anything nostalgic coming back here? I know this is where you made your first pro start four years ago. What kind of memories come back?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: Yeah, this is one of my favorite events of the year outside of that, but then add in on top of that they gave me a sponsor exemption, gave me an opportunity to play with the best players in the world back in 2021, and just really thankful for Travelers and everybody involved in this event to give me that opportunity. I played well that week. I just have great memories coming back here, and it's definitely one of my favorite stops of the year.
Q. Do you have a favorite memory from that week that stands out?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: It's funny, they all run together now, the weeks that we play. But I remember doing a little media thing for Travelers, and every now and then it'll pop up on my social media, like come back around. It's funny, I don't have any logos on my shirt, I'm wearing just standard clothing. It's funny just looking back on what's happened since then. It's pretty cool.
Q. What did you see on 18 on that second shot? It looked like you were behind the scoreboard.
AUSTIN ECKROAT: Yeah, I had the full view of the flag. It wasn't necessarily in my way, the scoreboard wasn't. And it was at an angle to where it was really thin. But I was on that side-hill lie, it was kind of thick, I was afraid if the heel caught, I could hit it, and that was really all my question was. But to get relief it had to be more in my way. But luckily it came out great, and was able to make birdie.
Q. Good to end the round that way?
AUSTIN ECKROAT: Yeah, exactly.
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