Q. All right, welcome our clubhouse leader Haeran Ryu into the media center. Really great round today. Started the day off I think five birdies in six holes or four straight birdies. How do you gets off to such a hot start?
HAERAN RYU: I think crazy. (Laughter.) Because today weather is much better than yesterday, and every hole's pin location is almost same as couple days ago. I want to try to same as yesterday, but I think really good start, yeah, that's good thing I think.
Q. Before you start, I think Mao had come in at 11-under. Did you see the leaderboard? Did you see that there were low scores coming in before you started the round?
HAERAN RYU: Yes. I just think about, wow, this course is so tough and so many challenge on the course, but Mao is play 11-under par today. I just sad for my manager, wow, she has a crazy day. But I started five holes and 5-under, oh, I'm crazy too I think. Yeah, it's funny today, yeah.
Q. How would you describe your season to this point? You obviously haven't won yet but had a lot of the really good results.
HAERAN RYU: I think start this season is my shot is really bad before the U.S. Open, but I go back to after the -- I go back to Korea after the U.S. Open and I recheck for my shots and kind of my clubs and everything is recheck at the Korea.
I'm back at the U.S., KPMG and after that is really good shots everything. After that I have more confidence for my shots and more my putting is really good too now, yeah.
Q. This is the 50th playing of this championship. It's a national Open. What would it mean to win here tomorrow?
HAERAN RYU: I don't have a national title right now, Korean national title and U.S. national title, but first national title is Canada I think really proud of myself I think. But I have one more round now, and I just trust my shots.
Q. How much of what you did last week has carried over to this week?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah, I think because really good finish at final round last week I have more confidence for my everything for the golf. Now I just trust myself and really good score and keep going I think.
Q. Did that fire you up to play better, to finish this week, what you did last week and come so close and not win?
HAERAN RYU: Probably, but now my condition is really bad. My knee is a little painful and I'm play on three tournaments in a row and too many international flights right now.
But good rest and eat some good food and good sleep is good for tomorrow I think.
Q. Maybe talk about 16. You had a chance to go really low with that putt; 17 you were close, too.
HAERAN RYU: Yeah.
Q. Was that maybe some of last week kicking in a little bit from that?
HAERAN RYU: No. Last year is just last year -- last week is just last week, and I just think about it now and future.
And, yeah, I mean, last week is too close but I tried to work hard for the last hole; I really happy for second.
This week I don't want to replay on the last week. But, yeah, I mean just keep going. Yeah, that is good thing.
Q. Did you have like a really good feeling going into today?
HAERAN RYU: No. (Laughter.)
Q. No?
HAERAN RYU: Every round I just think about, okay, today I just hit under par scores. That is good thing.
But start five holes, oh, I'm crazy. Yeah, but I think last year I had a lower score 8-under par, and today I made 8-under par at hole 14.
I want to try to more birdie, but I'm so tired and I'm a little confusing at the putter and the green. That was literally too close, but I try tomorrow again.
Q. Do you think you'll have a better outlook going into tomorrow seeing as you're the leader?
HAERAN RYU: I hope so. (Laughter.) Good food and good sleep, yeah.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports