THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Scottie Scheffler to the interview room. You're making your very first appearance here at the World Golf Championships Dell Technologies here today. Start with some opening comments about being back in your home state and playing in a city you know so well.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, it's nice to be back in Austin. Nice to be able to drive to an event. I came in yesterday and went to the golf club and practiced, and it's nice to be back in town.
THE MODERATOR: You've had two top 10s in your last four starts. Can you talk about the state of your game heading into this week.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I got off to a really slow start to the season in the fall. I was playing terrible, not swinging it well. Was able to get it around decent, but I had an opportunity (indiscernible), so I feel like the last probably month, month and a half my swing is starting to come around, and I think last week at home was really good for me, and felt like the swing has really turned the corner.
THE MODERATOR: Can you talk about your experience playing here at the course, Austin Country Club, back in college.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, we used to come out here a lot. The people here were always very welcoming to team, so we came out a decent amount and had a lot of good matches, a lot of fun. It was always fun kind of playing this course when they were getting ready for the tournament right after and it was still really firm and fast. I felt like I have a lot of experience around this course, which will be helpful for the week and also just have a lot of good memories around here.
Q. I was curious what the best score you ever shot here at Austin Country Club, if you remember that, and what your thoughts on the course are.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: That's a really good question. I have no idea what my low score is out here. What was the second part of that question?
Q. Just kind of what you think of the course, what you think of the layout and how it plays as far as match play tournaments are concerned.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah I think the layout is a lot of fun, a lot of good holes, a lot of birdies, so for match play it's fun. You have those holes down by the lake, good risk/reward holes. Especially the way it plays during the tournament it's fun to watch on TV and it's fun for the guys to play as well when it gets that firm. Hopefully the rain holds off this week and it'll be firm and fast.
Q. Do you enjoy match play?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I do.
Q. What about it appeals to you? I know you played that in college.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: It's just a nice change of pace for us. Every week is stroke play and it's kind of nice to only have to be competing against one guy every day, so it makes it a lot simpler for us.
Q. Have you seen your bracket? Do you know who you're playing? It was just released, so I didn't know if they had told you yet?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I just saw it, Jason Day, Sullivan and Xander, I think.
Q. What do you think of those matchups?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, it's a good group. I've actually never played golf with Andy, but I've seen the other two play. It'll be a fun group. My caddie is good buddies with Jason and Xander is a friend of mine, so it'll be a good group to compete in.
Q. How much match play have you actually played at ACC?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: How much match play? I wouldn't say just one-on-one matches, but just a lot of sort of -- just kind of fun college games, just little matches between four or five guys or however many guys you can fit in a group out here. A lot more like that. We haven't played stroke play out here too much.
Q. You said you have a lot of good memories of ACC. Do you have any you can share or any that stands out to you?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: There's probably not too many I would want to share on here. College was a different time. But yeah, just a lot of fun just hanging with the guys and playing this course. The course is always in such great shape, and it was always a treat for us to come out here and play.
Q. Obviously with the flipped nines, getting the finish down by the water, having not done this obviously in this type of event yet, what are your impressions of getting to do that kind of finishing down by the water and doing all that kind of stuff?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, those holes down by the water are a lot of fun, so finishing down there will definitely be different, but I'm just looking forward to this week. We used to come out here and watch in college, so it's nice to be on the other side of the ropes this time around, and I'm really just looking forward to getting out on the course.
Q. Back to the match play format and just, you guys didn't come here last year, it shut down just a couple of weeks before, just a little bit more on the format of this tournament and the three matches you're guaranteed and then the knockout. I guess it can kind of get to be a grind.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, it's going to be a long week, especially if you make it to the finals. But the good news is it's twosomes, so it's not going to take too much time. I think the tee times are kind of spread out, too. There's only a max of 32 groups on the course every day. The course is going to be in great shape, and it'll be a long week, but I'm looking forward to it, just getting in and starting matches.
Q. And then just the ascent of your career, I know you want to be on Sunday holing that last putt for the victory, but can you just speak to how your career keeps going on the rise?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I feel like my game is headed in the right direction. There's obviously a lot that I want to accomplish out here, but I feel like I'm trending now and the game is starting to turn around, and I feel like I'm about to hit a roll this season, so just looking forward to the rest of the week basically. It's nice to be back in Austin. I'm really excited to be playing this tournament.
Q. You said a few times that it's nice to be back here in Austin. You know the city, know the surrounding areas. What are the things you have to do when you're back in town?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Have to do? I mean, just eat. A ton of food. I love the food down here. Just go out and eat, all the places we had in college. We're staying downtown this week, so all the restaurants down there. I think my wife got us reservations every night this week. We probably won't use every one, but she has them just in case.
Q. Can you tell us where, like where are some of your favorite places?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I mean, like Matt's El Rancho, that's probably my favorite, Mexican food. I think we're supposed to go there on Friday, but that's my favorite one I like to hit when I'm in town.
Q. Going back to the format of this particular tournament, is there a different way that you prepare for match play or is it just you prepare the same and see how things shake out?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say I prepare my game the same way. This week preparing is treated just like every other week, but when you actually get on the course it's much different just playing one other person, and so it's more of a mental change than an actual physical preparation change.
Q. You mentioned the mental prep and all that. How much does familiarity and just being comfortable -- you're obviously familiar with the course and being comfortable here. Does that help you settle in quicker in a tournament?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, for sure. I think being comfortable with the surroundings at an event, kind of knowing exactly what we're getting into, like for instance I know where I'm going to eat each night, I know where I want to stay, I know the course really well. So the preparation for me is a lot easier just knowing what's around, because a lot of that, being so young on the TOUR, I'm getting to know some of these new courses and new places. I would be at a disadvantage some other weeks with guys having played this tournament for 10, 12 years and it's my first or second start here. So this week I feel like I'm at an advantage just knowing this area so well, and the course.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Scottie, for your time today, and great luck this week.
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