THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome the winner of the 2026 Truist Championship Kristoffer Reitan to the interview room. Kris, only your 15th start on TOUR and got win number one already. Can you take us through how you're feeling after getting the win.
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Absolutely over the moon. Happened way sooner than I would have imagined. Yeah, just absolutely thrilled. Awesome, awesome experience. Very, very grateful.
THE MODERATOR: Can you talk a little bit about the challenge today closing it out, especially with the Green Mile there, 16, 17, 18. What did it take to come out with a win today?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: It took some courage. I wasn't, I mean, they're very uncomfortable golf shots even without pressure so, felt like I really needed to step up and give myself a chance to put good swings on it. Yeah, just very, very pleased being able to do that.
THE MODERATOR: And then playing in the final group, can you tell us at what point today did it sink in like, all right, I really have a shot or did you try to ignore that thought.
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Probably when I hit the green on 17. That's when it sank in a little bit. I was trying to get a feel of where I was at, if I was leading by one, if I was leading at all or if I was leading by two. I told my caddie to make sure we know before we tee off on the 18th.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to some questions.
Q. Can you take us a little bit, your background, I talked to you at the Masters, but the YouTube thing, did you actually consider leaving, how did that go? Did you actually do some YouTube golfing and how did that change, I know you talked about it.
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Yeah, I mean, I was, at that point, considering whether or not I wanted to continue playing professionally. So, yeah, I just had some thoughts about how to make the game a little bit more fun, a little bit more relaxed. Yeah, I think YouTube golf would have given me maybe some of that fun competitiveness back, maybe not the serious competitiveness, if that makes sense. So I was just trying to find ways to make it more fun to give my journey in golf a little bit of energy, and trying to have fun while I'm playing so that I can endure the hardships that follow, yeah, with professional golf.
Q. You go back and look, last year you win your first tournament, shoot 62 I think in the final round, win in a playoff. What has changed from there to get you to here that maybe wasn't there beforehand? Was it technical or was it just something emotional, whatever?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: I just, I think there's a lot of pieces that need to fall in place. There's a whole puzzle that needs to shape up eventually. I think I've made some steps in multiple areas of the game, but definitely a big one for sure is the belief that I can do it. And I knew that I could do it here as well on the PGA TOUR, just based off of those two wins that I had last year. So, yeah, that definitely helps a lot to know that you are indeed capable.
Q. When was it that you were considering doing the YouTube stuff?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: I believe it was the middle or the start of 2022. Yeah.
Q. Do you have some friends or buddies that do it or people you wanted to emulate?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Yeah, I've got some friends that are trying to break through, at least in the Norwegian space, which is obviously significantly less than the international space, but still I try to tag along with them a little bit on one of their episodes, which is still on YouTube, to be fair. So, yeah, it was just something I was playing around with and I actually had some serious chats with some production companies to try and maybe bring it to fruition, but, yeah, just never really got there.
Q. Going back to Sunday, how long after the round and how were you informed that all of the stuff that had happened actually got you into this week?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Again, sorry?
Q. Going back to Sunday at Doral. How long after the round and how did you find out that all that happened on 18 got you into this week?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: I wasn't expecting to be in this week, just because I got in because of some withdrawals last week. Yeah, pretty much five minutes after I signed my card that's when some of the Norwegian reporters were saying that I think you're in. But I wasn't in playing 18, so the fact that I made double bogey apparently helped me, which makes no sense but I'll take it, yeah, and stop asking questions, I'll just, I'll take it.
Q. Did the course play any firmer, more difficult today, now that we really got some sunshine and warm weather?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Yeah, definitely it firmed up for sure and I could tell on some of the first bounces on the greens, and also the fairways, the ball was traveling a little bit further. So, yeah, it definitely became more challenging. From Thursday onwards the pins just got increasingly more difficult. So it was definitely a great test of golf out there.
Q. Obviously your first win on the PGA TOUR, but do you have a big week coming up next week. How do you balance celebrating this and then turning the page to next week at Aronimink?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Yeah, I don't know (laughing). I don't know how I'm going to do that. Yeah, obviously I'm going to be very, very happy and try to take this in a little bit, absorb that feeling and enjoy it. But at the same time there's plenty of work to be done and it's a great test for me to try and, yeah, mentally just try to get ready for next week and try to leave this behind a little bit. But, yeah, I'll definitely enjoy it.
Q. You mentioned on 17 the moment started to hit you. How in that moment did you manage to center yourself and not get overwhelmed by everything?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: I knew there was a lot of work still to be done, that's probably how. But when I hit the green on 18, that's when I definitely had the feeling that, okay, I'm probably going to win this now and especially after I lagged that putt that close, yeah, that was very, very overwhelming. Yeah, I managed to fight back the tears a little bit. Yeah, I had no idea how to deal with that situation, but that's probably when I knew for sure that it was going to happen.
Q. On 18 when you made that putt, your celebration was a little subdued for a little bit. What was going through your mind? Did at any point over the last 45 minutes, has it kind of hit you?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Yeah, I mean, I feel a tremendous amount of joy. I mean, obviously maybe not having my loved ones nearby has subdued that a little bit. That would have been awesome for them to be here, but they weren't able to be here. But, yeah, I was more, I don't know if, you know, showing that kind of emotion is a part of who I am perhaps. I struggle to do that a little bit, but I'm definitely happy, I can promise you that (laughing).
Q. I wanted to get your thoughts on the Green Mile and the way you played it today, you played it in even par, all the guys right behind you on the leaderboard played it in over par, what was your approach to that stretch of holes?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Well, it's a tremendously difficult stretch of holes, especially when you've got some gettable holes in advance there, so I was happy to take advantage of those two. And, yeah, I just knew that it's a different beast coming in those last three holes, so I knew I needed to step up and hit some good golf shots and definitely not start relaxing at that point, knowing that the tournament is almost over and all that. So I was definitely on it mentally the whole way and very, very clear about the fact that some very, very difficult golf shots are coming up. So, yeah, that was good on my half and my caddie's half as well.
Q. There's been a lot of success by Scandinavian players and a lot of development systems. What's your upbringing in Norway, and were you part of those development programs?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Yeah, I mean, a lot of the, well, I can only speak on behalf of the Norwegian way of doing it. But a lot of it is oriented around keeping players in the game in all sports. So, because we have such a small population, we need to keep as many as we can in the game for as long as possible. A lot of it is oriented around enjoying it and not necessarily putting in an extraordinary amount of hard work. So, yeah, that's kind of the focus from when we're very, very young. And I'm very, very glad to see Scandinavians thriving.
Q. You're still sort of new to fans on the PGA TOUR. How much do you expect your name recognition to jump, and do you hear conversations from people in the gallery, because again, they know Rickie Fowler, but they may be just be learning you. Do you pay any attention to that, have you heard any of that, and they're going to know you now?
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Well, yeah, I came from the DP World Tour where people were starting to recognize me as a good player. And then I came over here and I had to start from scratch. Yeah, I had that feeling that no one had any idea who I was. So I had to earn it, and I hope this is a way of doing that. Yeah, no it's been cool the last few weeks to suddenly see people in the crowd shouting my name. So, yeah, that's been, that's been cool, for sure. But, yeah, it all comes with time. If I play well enough, then, yeah, the galleries and, yeah, they will know who I am if I play well enough. So, yeah, I bet today was, you know, a step on that way to accomplish that. Not necessarily looking to accomplish that, that must be said, but, yeah, it is cool to kind of get into the PGA TOUR environment or that group a little bit and feel like you belong.
THE MODERATOR: Awesome, well Kris, thanks for the time and congratulations on win number one.
KRISTOFFER REITAN: Thank you very much.
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