Q. Eric, a lot of birdies out there today. Couple dropped shots as well. How would you characterize the round?
ERIC COLE: Yeah, I would say that was pretty much it I did a lot of stuff well. Few times I didn't get away with some bad shots. Made a bogey and a double, so that wasn't good.
Yeah, putting was great and when I did miss other than those two holes I got away with it and kind of scored well today.
Q. How would you like sum up the year so far?
ERIC COLE: Yeah, I've had some good stuff in there for sure. Also haven't played my best at times. So it's kind of been a little bit hit or miss.
So there is definitely some signs I'm going in the right direction, and then I would kind of drop off a little bit, so there is good and bad I would say.
Q. Since the playoffs ended, what did your year look like? What did the last month look like for you?
ERIC COLE: Yeah, been relaxing at home a lot. Played Napa, which we always love that tournament. Yeah, just been hanging out at home and getting as much time there as I can because I play a lot during the year. Doing a little bit of practice and playing at home with my buddies and stuff.
Yeah, just trying to take it easy.
Q. (No microphone.)
ERIC COLE: That's a good question. I would say it's a tough tee shot with water all down the left. You know, you don't really want to blow too far through the fairway right just because of the angle. Yeah, it's a hard tee shot then still a demanding second shot.
Whereas a lot of holes out here you kind of have a little bit more room to work with if you do hit one off line. So it's kind of one of the maybe two or three tee shots where you're pinched in. When all the other ones are open it almost makes that one feel a little bit tighter.
Q. Mentally, what's harder a bogey on the first tee or double late?
ERIC COLE: I would say a double late. Hurts your scorecard a lot more, and also I felt like I had a lot of good momentum there and it was great to bounce back birdieing 17 and 18. Definitely can when you go from 7-under to 5-under; that's a big difference.
Yeah, definitely the double.
Q. This is your fourth start here and you improved your position each time in each of the first three. What is it about this golf course that you learned maybe each time you come here?
ERIC COLE: Well, these are great greens, some the best greens we play on TOUR. For some reason, reading them I kind of struggled with in the past. I remember last year I was really paying attention to a lot of the reads and kind of remembered them into this year. I think that definitely helped today, because just having that memory versus just seeing it for the first or second time. So that's probably the biggest thing.
Q. Ten birdies in a round is a career-best for you. Is that something you that pay attention to, take pride from when you achieve little records like that for yourself?
ERIC COLE: Not particularly, but it's always good to hear something like that. You know, I think I'm trying to birdie every hole I'm playing, so to birdie more than half of them is great. Yeah, it's a cool little stat. I like it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports