Q. How do you reflect over 36 holes?
ALEX NOREN: Yesterday felt sort of easier than today. We teed off earlier, no, wind, no expectations really. Of course you want to do well from the start but I got going quite early in the round. Today was sort of like you get a punch in the face when you kind of think the course is maybe easier than it is. If you are out of position a few times on the front nine, it's tougher than what you drive it in play.
From 7, I started playing better and got my head around it and yeah, I'm happy with the last 11, 12 holes.
Q. How important then is momentum on this golf course?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, that's what it is. It's like I don't know what it is but it's sort of big-ish greens, you think it's going to be easy to make a few birdies here and there but you've got to hit it close. There's a lot of grain. It's easy to get frustrated, especially when you see other guys moving up the leaderboard and making birdies, like today Tyrrell in the beginning was on fire, and in the heat, as well. It's pretty hot.
Q. When you see players making moves, do I feel pressure to force it yourself or do you keep it in the moment personally and go from there?
ALEX NOREN: It's tough when you see that, especially when you're not hitting it close maybe. And then from like 7, 8, I started hitting it close enough to have chances on most holes, and then it's fun to play again.
Even if the ball doesn't go in for a birdie all the time, you feel like you have it and you feel like you can compete. That's what's enjoyable here.
Q. What will be enjoyable is being in that chasing pack heading into the weekend. What's your mindset going out tomorrow, only a couple shots off the lead?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, it's pretty nice now and I know exactly what the course plays like. You pretty much know the pins that are going to be. It plays a little bit different from three years when I was here last time, a little bit more rough. So like try to avoid the bogeys when you're out of position, maybe try to play a little safer. Maybe just hit the green instead of trying to hit close with the wedges from the rough because it's not a guarantee to even hit the greens from the rough.
And then keep the driver in the air to get up there because this course, you need long drives, even if you don't hit the fairway always. Just need it up there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports