Q. Straight pars through 11, then birdie on 12 and 18. Pretty steady for you out there today?
RYAN ARMOUR: Frustrating start. I had some looks and didn't make them, and then I kind of forced the issue on 12 going for it. Made birdie there.
Then started hitting some -- not really bad shots, just a hair off, and a hair off on the back nine seems to equate to bogeys. I wish I could have finished a little better. 1-, 2-, 3-under today goes a long way. But again, it's great to be here.
Q. How did it feel just being part of this, getting into this event and playing here? What do you think you're going to take away from the experience of being in this and being able to play this?
RYAN ARMOUR: Being here? Yeah, anytime you get a chance to come home, it's great. And to play at the highest level. I've been fortunate enough to play Memorial, fortunate enough to play a couple times at Ohio State in the Nationwide. This upcoming week I'm going to play Firestone, where I basically grew up playing.
I'm really lucky to be able to do that because some guys never get to play at home. In previous years, I had Honda Classic where I lived down in Jupiter. It's luck. I feel lucky to have support through all the hometowns that I've lived in.
On another note, I wish I was playing better. I feel like I'm starting over, just turning 50. I had basically a year and a half off. I played a little bit but not as much as I do -- I'm a guy who likes to play all the time. So I need more reps. Just heat of battle, that's the shape I want, that's the feeling I want out of the bunker, that kind of stuff. But that comes with reps, and hopefully I'll get them.
Q. You said earlier this week how you hadn't played much at 48 and 49. What were 48 and 49 like?
RYAN ARMOUR: It was amazing. It was awesome. I was at every sporting event for both my boys, Patrick, who plays basketball, Nick, who plays hockey. I was all over the country with them. It was great. I loved every second of it. It doesn't equate to good golf, but it equates to good fatherhood, good family, and having a lot of fun with your kids.
Q. What position do your kids play?
RYAN ARMOUR: My oldest is a point guard. He'll be a four-year varsity letterman this year. My other kid is actually moving. He's going to go to prep school up at Gilmore Academy east of Cleveland. He's going to move up there and play hockey on their Triple-A teams.
Q. Are you good at either of those sports?
RYAN ARMOUR: I played basketball through high school, but my kid is better than me, better than I ever was.
Skating, I haven't skated since pond hockey when I was like in fifth or sixth grade. Don't ask me how he became great at hockey, but he's a really nice player. Patrick is a really good point guard, likes to get after it and defend, get in people's faces, which is great.
Q. When you take that time away from family, how much were you practicing, if at all, and was it ever, hey, I'm really enjoying being away and I might not want to do this anymore?
RYAN ARMOUR: No, I always wanted to do it. I just didn't want to travel and Monday qualify for the PGA TOUR or the Korn Ferry or even play as many Korn Ferry events as I was eligible for.
Had I been fully exempt on the PGA TOUR, I probably would have kept playing. But I got to a point where I wasn't getting in a lot, so it just got to the point where I was better at home. It was a better situation for me to be with my boys than to go out and chase and Monday.
Q. How much do you appreciate that, that you were -- a lot of people, I'm sure, feel that way about their kids, and they don't get that chance.
RYAN ARMOUR: Right. I feel very lucky. Fortunate that golf gave me that opportunity to do it. My wife gave me that opportunity. Without her raising the boys, they wouldn't be who they are right now. I get to kind of enjoy all her hard work when I was traveling everywhere.
Q. You said yesterday when it was over that you were going to hydrate and watch soccer. What was that like? Did you watch any World Cup?
RYAN ARMOUR: I did hydrate. Did some laundry. I rented a house down in Victorian Village, so I was down there, and as soon as the parade was over I could get in the house.
What did I watch? Who was on yesterday?
Q. France was on.
RYAN ARMOUR: France. They won with the stupid penalty kick. That's how they won. Paraguay probably deserved more penalties, but I'm cheering for the underdog at all times. So I did watch that.
Just had JT's Pizza, had some salad and went to bed.
Q. Are you much of a soccer guy?
RYAN ARMOUR: No. Every four years. And all of a sudden it catches me. Especially now, I love the fact that they're all over North America. Like okay, I've been to that stadium, I've been to that stadium, I've been to that stadium. I love the fact that different places are hosting.
Q. Will you do anything else before you head out of here?
RYAN ARMOUR: Probably not. I'm going to get up to Akron, go see my parents, see how they're doing. No rest for the weary; I've got to be on the tee tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports