THE MODERATOR: Xander, 1-under 69 today, 1-under for the tournament. Talk about your overall play today.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, sort of a bit of a mixed bag. Bad start again. Some really good golf in the middle of the round. Serious hiccup there on the par-5.
Happy to sort of weather the storm coming in with a few pars on some hard holes.
Q. Scottie talked about the struggles for all of you on the par-5. What is the degree of difficulty trying to play a delicate shot out of a waste area?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It would be easier if it was a bunker. You're sort of sitting there. I mean, I think if all of us were sitting there and we just took our medicine, Rory is the only one that took his medicine after watching Scottie and I have a field day there hitting it across the green.
You can hit a good shot. It's sort of like a bunker. You don't really trust what's underneath versus like an actual bunker. There's a ton of sand in the bunker. You want to hit it hard, down into the ground. You're worried is there more sand or less sand. That little bit of hesitation is not good when your room for margin isn't that good.
It's doable. I'm sure there will be a highlight of someone holing out or hitting a very close shot out there. It's very doable. We just made a mess of it.
Q. Seemed like the bunker shot on 13, something really clicked in. Was there a feel that came to you?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I mean, kind of. It was nice whenever you're playing U.S. Open, you're able to hit it inside six, seven feet. It's usually a pretty good thing. Usually you have a pretty good number.
Yeah, I had a pitching wedge in my hand. Told Austin I wanted to hit a gap wedge. Just wanted to be aggressive, swing at something.
Nice to sort of hit one close there, then get my round going.
Q. Have you ever felt as good about your ball striking as you have over the last few months?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, interesting. Yesterday was probably the worst I've ever felt over the driver. Just funny how that goes sometimes.
I hit some better drives today. Still struggled. I hit the freakin' tree off the 6 tee box. Hit a hundred yards off the tee. It's been a bit humbling on that front.
In the last month, I was hitting my driver really nice. Just trying to get back into good form.
Q. What happened on 6?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: 6? Yeah, it was a long wait. We were flowing really nice. Starting to get in a nice rhythm. Playing really nice. Then we watched the two groups ahead of us sort of walk down while we were walking up. We knew we needed to wait on a group, wait for that group to clear.
Just like everyone else, we were on the 6th hole 40, 45 minutes.
Q. Off-the-tee areas here, different than Valhalla. What is the unique challenge? Is it more challenging with the waste areas or thick rough?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Mixed bag. Thick rough everywhere, it would probably be a lot worse. When you hit it off line here, there's just more variance. You can have a completely clear shot on sort of hardpan, you can hit your drive like you're clear to the green no problem, versus if it was thick rough, you know you're never going to advance the ball toward a green. You could also end up in a bushel and be worse off than thick rough.
I think there's just a bit of your great is way better here, your worse is way worse.
I would say overall thick rough would be harder on this golf course.
Q. Scottie used the word 'fun' to play this golf course. Would you say it's fun to play this golf course?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, it is fun. It's hard. It's a hard golf course, it really is. It's rewarding. You hit a good golf shot, you're going to get rewarded. You get a little greedy, you try and grab a shot where you shouldn't, it bites you really quick. It makes you think sort of about instant regret on not taking your medicine.
I think it's really good in that sense.
Q. (No microphone.)
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: On 6 coming up. I don't care if I hit the drive off the tee, then hit a good layup shot. Wasn't a super disciplined iron shot in the green. I've been putting really nice.
Austin was like, Leave yourself a putt. I hit it to the top of the crest, rolled back down. That pissed me off.
Q. The 5th?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: 5th hole, sorry.
Thanks.
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