Q. What's it like to win on your birthday, and has it ever happened to you before?
CONNER JONES: I think I won a high school tournament on my birthday one time. But I don't get the opportunity to play a really cool event like this on your birthday very often, so it's really cool.
Q. When you wake up, do you feel different on a birthday when you're getting ready for a match?
CONNER JONES: My sister actually texted me this morning and she said happy birthday, and I was so focused on the tournament, I forgot it was my birthday this morning.
Q. Let's talk about this match. Based on the scoring, it looks like you took control right after the turn.
CONNER JONES: Yeah. I wasn't making a ton of birdies, just a lot of pars, and I lost 9 with a bogey. Then I won 10 with a par, won 11 and 12 with birdies.
Q. How did you make those birdies on 11 and 12?
CONNER JONES: 11 I hit the green in two and two-putted, and 12 I made a long putt from maybe 50 right from the right side of the green.
Q. That's a nice birthday present.
CONNER JONES: Yeah.
Q. Was the first putt on 1, was that --
CONNER JONES: It was kind of an awkward lie. It was kind of close to the rough behind -- kind of affected my back stroke a little bit, and obviously it wasn't my best effort, but my stroke was a little hindered by the rough behind it.
Q. How special is it to compete in this tournament being from here?
CONNER JONES: Yeah, it's really cool. It's fun to have a bunch of people out here watching me that I know and supporting me and staying in my own bed, so it's great.
Q. Now you're into the round of 32. Next opponent is going to be very formidable. I don't know how much you look down the road. What are you looking forward to and what are your thoughts?
CONNER JONES: Yeah, I haven't really looked at the bracket, either. I don't know who I'm going to play, but I know whoever it is they're going to be a really good player. I'm going to have to play some good golf if I want to keep going.
Q. With the situation with not having a caddie, do you think at this point given that you've done well that you'll just keep going carrying your own bag?
CONNER JONES: Probably not. Probably tomorrow I'll have a caddie for the 36 holes.
Q. Were there any pivotal points today?
CONNER JONES: I think on 11, that was kind of a -- the momentum was already kind of going in my favor, and that kind of, I think, hurt him a little bit, and his hopes of coming back were hurt a little bit after he went 3-down at 11.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports