Q. Nice playing today, sitting in the top 5 after one round. Can you talk us through your round today.
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, it was really good. It was very hot, as well. Yeah, I played some really good golf. I had a few mistakes, but I hit some really good putts that just burnt the edges. All in all, good, and I'll keep going.
Q. How does it feel to be a part of this championship, the inaugural event, first time we're playing it, and you're in the field?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, to be here in a championship with 97 players, we had the dinner last night, and I think just being in a room where everyone has used golf to help them and to finally have our championship, and for the kids growing up it's only going to spur them on, so it's awesome.
Q. I'm sure you talked to some fellow players last night, but how rewarding is it to share the course with so many other inspiring athletes?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I played with someone called Billy today, and some of the shots he hit -- he holed a 40-footer and he's blind. Yeah, he's a real inspiration and he's an awesome guy.
Q. Just curious what Monday was like for you last week.
KIPP POPERT: What was Monday? Oh, the Open! It was absolutely awesome. Being with Tom Watson, he gave me a few tips, and I was just trying to be a sponge and soak it all up. I flushed my first tee shot and then hit the next shot to about four foot on the first. My dad was on the bag. It doesn't get any better than that.
Q. Was there anyone you met besides Tom that was pretty inspiring?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, Lee Trevino. He gave me a 45-minute lesson, which money can't buy that, and he sees the game the way I do, keeps it really simple, and he's awesome. Hopefully meet more of them and hopefully play more and more with them, and we'll just keep going.
Q. You went from the home of golf to coming now to the home of American golf. What's it like realizing you're in two really golf-centric communities?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, as you say, there's never been -- both villages, both towns are absolutely golf mad. We were in a pub the other night and everyone was in golf attire, and it's the same in St Andrews. It's awesome.
I've never been to Pinehurst, never been to North Carolina, so I've really enjoyed it so far and I've met some nice people, so it's been good.
Q. You didn't really think about this before, but just comparing the courses, how St Andrews played and the courses here now coming to these greens here at Pinehurst --
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, absolutely. St Andrews, I've had a lot of links practice growing up. I'm from the south of England, so I'm a member of something called Royal Cinque Ports, and I get a lot of links practice in there. Quite comfortable on links. Ben and I, my caddie, he went to uni with me, we're not used to grain as much here. I played in Dubai last year and there was a little bit of grain, but on the greens here it's very grainy so you've got to make sure you read that well to know where to land your chip shots, et cetera, but yeah, it's an awesome learning experience and the course is absolutely astounding.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports