THE MODERATOR: We have Jimmy Rollins here with us. Jimmy had a rousing start to his play today. We'll talk about the whole round and the weekend in a minute. Talk us through hole number 12.
First off, before you hit. So you saw the boat. Were there any thoughts in your head, "I'm just going to hit the shot"?
JIMMY ROLLINS: Actually, not today. Yesterday, it crossed my mind it would be nice to get off to a great start. But today, after yesterday's round, it was, like, I just want to go out there and not embarrass myself, to be honest.
I finally played like myself. But as we pulled up to the hole, the volunteer there, she was like, "They got this right up there for you guys. They really want to give away this boat."
I was like, "Oh, they do? She was like, "Yeah. It's right up front. All you have to do is land it to the right and let it feed to the left."
So I got over my ball. Ray, who was my caddie, decided to go with the 50, the same club we hit yesterday, but caught it much better today.
I looked at him, I looked at her, she said, "Just drop it off to the right, let it roll back to the left." I got up there, off the club it felt pretty good. And as it landed, Davante started yelling, "Jump in the hole!"
I've been close a number of times, so I didn't anticipate it going in. I just figure, of course it's going to cross over the front of the hole, go tap in for a birdie.
It goes in. And I look at him, he's sky high, and I don't know what to do. I'm just, like, sure. He's a pretty big guy. I had to make sure I got off the ground. I'm only 175 pounds. I'm not used to hitting men like that.
Then we celebrated. I really just really didn't know what to do. It was like, wow, this is crazy, it actually went in the hole. And everybody went to high five me, but I'm just like, that ball went in the hole. It was a great time. It was a great start.
My first one. I'm glad I got to do it at the American Century Championship. What a great place to get it done.
Q. When did it hit you that not only you made a hole-in-one but you got the boat?
JIMMY ROLLINS: Yeah, it's funny -- I wasn't anticipating -- I did go jump on the boat and say this boat was mine before the shot. But it was joking. Not like I'm winning, it was like, yeah, everybody says this.
But afterwards, I was able to take my time and sign autographs. My cousin, my best friend, they're over there hanging out, and the emotion that they had watching it happen -- none of us had seen one in person. It was like, that was really crazy.
It's kind of like when you're playing sports, you do something, you celebrate, you're in the moment, but it means so much more to the people around you to witness it. So when I saw the emotions and the joy in their face, it was like, yeah, that really happened.
Q. How long did it take you for your adrenaline rush to kind of come down and calm down? Did you get the next tee? Did you take a deep breath or did it take a little bit?
JIMMY ROLLINS: I don't know. I think in the moment, I was just cool because I was still, like, that ball actually went in. It was exciting when it happened. Then it was just like the reality, that ball really went in the hole. Of course, as a golfer, your mind goes to the next shot. Okay, I can't go to the next shot and blow up. I actually came off, hit the ball right down the middle.
I was telling my girlfriend, I was, like, it's funny because last night I was, like, man, I prayed for a hole-in-one on 17 on 12, either one, I didn't mind, and it happened to come true. Prayers are answered today. And I get to take it out on the lake at some point.
Q. I was looking at your score. You went hole-in-one, par, par, par, birdie. It was a good --
JIMMY ROLLINS: It was a good stretch.
Q. It set the pace for the rest of the round for you, right?
JIMMY ROLLINS: Definitely did. I hadn't played in about two weeks coming in, messed around, just went out, played nine holes, just to hit the ball, didn't go very well. Yesterday it was basically a reflection of my last nine holes. Afterwards, I think like anyone out here, any athlete, anyone who wants to be good, you kind of beat yourself up a little bit. That's how I felt. But it took one good shot and put me right back on track.
Q. This is your 5th year here. This is your best round here by a good amount. Talk about that in general, and then what were the crowds out there like today?
JIMMY ROLLINS: The crowds were fantastic. Davante brings them out, I'll tell you that much. I just got to hang on his coattail. Him being a Bay Area kid and myself being a Bay Area kid, we have that in common. It was nice to see him out there.
He plays with the Rams now, and I have season tickets. We'll keep that going, get some rounds in at lakeside.
It's one of those things, even on the range I was still trying to figure things out but I felt more confident over the ball. I was able to have my sights, my lines, putting, just getting a touch.
You really need something that gets you going. Sometimes it's a few good holes, a birdie. For this, it happened to be a hole-in-one.
It was like, okay, what I've worked on -- obviously you don't expect the ball to go in. But what I worked on is starting to come through. I'm seeing where I hit the ball, I'm over the ball, I'm comfortable. I'm making the right decision, even if I'm wrong, I'm comfortable and confident in being wrong as opposed to going up there, being a little timid. Yesterday I was all in my own head. But rounds coming into this for about the last month, I've been playing very well.
I've put in the work. I said it's my best round. I've been playing like that for the past month and a half. It was good it showed up really on the biggest stage for us.
Q. Are you a boater?
JIMMY ROLLINS: Yes, I am. This is going to make a trip down south. Or it may stay here, I have some good buddies up here, they have some dry storage. Obviously to keep it in the family, my family, friends and family. I'm a California kid, doesn't take much to come up to Tahoe. Now I have even more of a reason.
Q. That was my first question, when are you going to take it out on the lake?
JIMMY ROLLINS: I don't know which one I'm taking out, but I'm going on the lake right after we get off.
Q. You talk about this being your best round ever. Did that hole-in-one so early in the day, did you kind of ride that high?
JIMMY ROLLINS: It definitely put me in the mode; this is go time. You can't let that hole-in-one be the only highlight. It's not going to get a bigger highlight than that, but don't let that be your only highlight where you do that and then you just fall off the rest of the day. I got in motion, locked in. It was in. I don't have to do anything else but worry about the next shot, and I hit the next shot right down the middle.
Q. I don't know if you said this here yet, this was your first hole-in-one ever?
JIMMY ROLLINS: First one ever. First one ever. I've gotten close four times and the total distance that I missed it by probably adds up to about a foot and a half. When it went in, it was definitely a shock.
Q. When it bounced, did you think, "I'm getting a boat"?
JIMMY ROLLINS: No. I turned around, like I said, Davante was there, it was like, I don't know what to do, bro. This has never happened to me before.
They obviously told me to go jump on the boat, get some photos, that boat is yours.
Q. The next question is moot because I was going to ask you, did you run down the fairway?
JIMMY ROLLINS: I've seen what happens when you run down, when you haven't been running, it would have been more like a tumble.
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