Q. You hit the first 13 fairways, ball-striking has been good. What's that feeling you've been carrying over this week?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I've been really good off the tee, which is a strong quality around this golf course. Yeah, for the most part, like I mentioned yesterday, it felt like at times you'd get into a nice flow and you feel comfortable with your routine and you're just standing up and the swings feel good and the ball is going in the direction.
I think there's some really demanding shots out there, and then especially when it got a bit windy really on the back nine, and I think some shots turned into really tough shots. I felt like 12 was a really demanding tee shot. 18 was another -- just a poor swing really, and it is what it is. It was a poor swing. As soon as it was coming down from the top, I was only going to hit it one way.
Again, that just shows how tricky the golf course is. I know Justin sort of went aggressive with the driver there and made birdie out of the rough, but it's so hard to play golf course out of the rough. Even when I did make mistakes, felt like putting the ball in play on the next hole gave me an opportunity to sort of bounce back, and yeah, it's been good.
Q. Another day with Justin tomorrow. What's that dynamic like when you're on a Sunday in the final group with a friend?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it'll be great. I think we're so close. Justin is someone that I've looked up to. He's always been one of my closest people out here on TOUR, and he's had such an amazing career, and I always enjoy trying to play against the best and learn from the guys that have done so well in their careers.
I'm looking forward to it. We had a great three-ball today. I'm close with both of those guys. It's just like a really easy dynamic.
But yeah, nice birdie from Justin there to get us in a two-ball tomorrow.
Q. Having been in this position recently, what did you learn from that that you can take into tomorrow?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I played well last time. I came very close. I led the tournament for such a long time and it didn't happen, and I said then, yeah, there's an element to me, sort of it's taken me a long time to win out here, and I still haven't done it, but best possible scenario at that Travelers straight away was can I put myself in that position again sooner rather than later.
It's just another opportunity for me to go out and try and have the best round of golf I can, enjoy being in that position. The more I put myself there, the more chance there is of it happening, and just go out and keep learning from every experience. But tomorrow might be my day, it might not, but being there is the most important thing, and I'll continue to try and do that.
Q. You have an optimistic view on it. Are you a natural optimist?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Probably. I think so. Yeah, I just think I would way rather be there and fail than not be there at all. So either way, like, it's a good thing. Yeah, it hurts when it doesn't happen for you and that sort of streak, if you like, and people talk about it more and more, that goes on. Obviously it's not my favorite time, like walking off the 18th at that point.
But I practice so hard at my game, and I work so hard and I enjoy being out here four days like this, Sunday going tomorrow, and all the times when you're 40th place going into Sunday, 30th, 20th, you might have a great day and you might feel good, but it's just not the same as being in contention.
As I say, I just look forward to the opportunities and continue to give myself a chance in chasing my dreams, and whether they happen or not tomorrow or the next week or the week after, that's another story. But I'm looking forward to it nonetheless.
Q. What was your best shot today?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Probably, I think, the putt I holed for par on 4 was kind of a big putt. The 3rd was just such a kerfuffle and such a mess. It was not that bad of a second shot, but it's obviously a terrible shot if it's in the water. From there, drop, mess up the -- sort of felt like the ball had moved when I hit it, thinned it over the back, just made a double for nothing really.
Then 4, difficult shot today. I think that pin is probably the hardest on the green. I had 10 foot for par and I felt like that was a really important putt, and then go on to the 5th, which is one of the hardest holes on the course to make birdie. I felt like that was really important part of the round.
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