THE MODERATOR: Thomas Detry, 3-under 67. 4-under for the championship.
You made a lot of birdies out there. How did you do that?
THOMAS DETRY: If you would have told me on Wednesday I would have been 5-under in my round today, I wouldn't have believed it.
Got off to a good start. I made that great 15-footer on the 1st hole for par. Kind of kept the momentum going. 1st hole, par 5, kind of an easy hole. You don't really want to miss that opportunity. I made a good par there. Kind of built up on that. Made some great putts after that: 11, 12, 13, 14, I think, even 15 for bogey. I made a great putt on 15 for bogey. 14, I think.
Really pleased. I just played target golf. I was very committed to my targets. I was hitting a lot of full shots out there. I was trying to get as much elevation as possible. Instead of knocking down 7- or 8-irons, I was trying to hit like full 9-irons and full wedges to try to get as much spin and as much height as possible. I think I did a pretty good job of it.
Q. You played well at majors this year. How does that bring it out in your game?
THOMAS DETRY: I always tend to do better at courses where pars gains on the field. I feel like this week, you make a par, you gain on the field, keep moving on. I always seem to do better that way.
It puts a little bit less pressure on my putting. When I have a birdie chance, it's like a bonus. I've done a great job of taking advantage of it today, I think.
Yeah, the top four in the PGA was great. It was nice to see that with some of the good golf I was able to compete against the best. I feel like I'm utilizing that confidence quite nicely this week. Hopefully I can keep it going for the weekend.
Q. Talked to Coach Small this morning. Kind of biggest improvement you made from a junior golfer to now has been your short game, chipping. Can you describe that transformation, where you were.
THOMAS DETRY: When I got out of college in 2012, Coach Small, one of the biggest changes that coach was trying to make me do. I was kind of flushing the ball. Short game was something definitely I could learn a lot and improve a lot. Four years there was a big improvement. I kind of kept building on with my coach at home. I obviously didn't see Coach Small as much as I used to. With my coach at home, did some good work.
This week we kind of did a different type of preparation. Instead of teeing off early with everyone, we kind of teed off at 4 p.m. when there's literally no one on the course. It was actually amazing. There's no one on the course.
I was spending 20 minutes on each green, kind of having a feel for the slopes, having a feel for the grass, for the greens. I thought that was pretty nice.
Especially with the late tee times I had yesterday, it was nice to see the course. I was still on the golf course Wednesday at 7 p.m. Kind of see the course and the conditions of play as close to what it's going to be during tournament day.
Q. Guys have said the course is playing harder than yesterday, pin positions and conditions.
THOMAS DETRY: I didn't think so (smiling). As I said, I was quickly under par. I think I took advantage of some of the toughest holes out there. Hole 1, my 10th hole, I was obviously committed to the left. I pushed it a little bit. I hit it to two feet. Kind of a bonus birdie there.
But yeah, I mean, I think this week is all about target golf. I was a little bit not confident with my driver early in the week. I was kind of launching it high and right. I've been committed to hit kind of a lower fade shot. That's really the key to hit fairways out here.
It's a lottery. If you miss fairways, you can really get in big troubles. I thought today I did a great job at making sure I was on the fairway. From the fairway, just hitting to conservative targets on the green.
Q. How mentally prepared do you think you are to go into the weekend at the U.S. Open, if not in the lead, one of the last couple groups?
THOMAS DETRY: Pretty good. I mean, I was pretty much in that same position, what, a month ago at the PGA. I thought I did pretty well with it.
My confidence is good. My play is good. I feel mentally stable as well. I think I've got all my chances. I think it's going to be a fun challenge.
The course is not easy. There's going to be setbacks out there. You have to be prepared for it. It's all about trying to minimize the big numbers. When you're out of position, hit a shot that has a bad bounce, tough up-and-down, you have to accept the bogey in a way. I think that's going to be the key for the weekend.
Q. Any moment you'd like to have back from Valhalla?
THOMAS DETRY: Yeah, I mean, to me it was really those last few holes on Sunday. I was kind of lingering around the top 10. I hit some great golf shots the last five holes. Some tough tee shots. 15, 16, 17. I was really committed. I was really visualizing nicely. I think that's something I can use this week.
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