Q. Six birdies today. Talk a little bit about what went well today?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: Just the focus throughout the day. I sort of made it a goal of mine to commit on every shot, and I got that right about 99 percent of the time. There's always going to be doubt in your mind as this golf course being so tough.
But yeah, just the all-around game was good from the tee. It started -- that's where the golf starts on this golf course is from the tee. You need to give yourself a chance to get to the green.
Yeah, I was in the fairway most of the time and gave myself a lot of good chances and managed to execute the iron shots as well and made a couple of nice putts and nice par saves.
Q. Walk me through some of your favorite birdies on the day. What went well on those holes?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: I think No. 1, it's the opening round of the U.S. Open, so to get a birdie there, that was nice. Amazing 3-wood on 4, easy birdie there. I think 17 was crucial for me because it is gettable today, but you can hit a fairly decent drive and make 6. I hit a nice drive to the front of the green, hit a long putt, wasn't easy, and managed to two-putt. I feel like you could easily get a two-shot swing by not doing much wrong on that hole.
But yeah, birdies on this golf course is nice. Doesn't matter if it's easy or tough. There's not a lot of -- there is a lot of chances if you're playing well, but I don't think it's going to happen too often, especially when it firms up and stuff like that. To make a couple birdies was quite fun.
Q. Double on 9; talk about how you responded and regrouped and then birdied the next hole.
THRISTON LAWRENCE: Yeah, I think what gave me confidence is looking at the leaderboard afterward on 9. When I made double, I saw I'm still top 10 or 11 or whatever. That sort of made me just realize again that bogeys, you don't lose much when you make bogeys around this golf course or in this tournament.
I didn't hit a terrible drive, took my punishment, laid up with a sand wedge, tried to keep it under the hole with my third shot but just a bit too short. Hit my first putt to six foot, not bad, and lipped out for double. It's not like I did much wrong. You're going to get punished if you hit it in the rough, and I did.
Bogey would have been nice, but like I say, seeing that leaderboard, it just made me realize, again, you're not losing too much, especially in that situation I was.
Q. Did you see today coming?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: Yeah, I mean, I'm playing well. I feel like I'm a great driver of the golf ball. I like to work it around.
I feel like it fairly suits me. A lot can change, obviously. It could firm up, it could go soft again. But yeah, I'm hitting the driver really well. I'm putting decent. Iron play has always been fairly good. Like I say, I like a tough test, and I feel like from the tee, just the distance I hit it, everything felt like it's -- my targets are quite big for the distance I hit it off the tee.
Q. I noticed you've played two DP World Tour events, the last two. Was that a conscious effort to head back to Europe or --
THRISTON LAWRENCE: No, I would never have played if I didn't get -- I didn't get into the PGA TOUR events. Got into Canada, but I couldn't get a Visa. South Africans have to apply 400 days in advance. So I had to apply before I got my card. Bit odd, that, because I don't like missing events when I get opportunities, but that's the unfortunate thing of having a South African passport.
But I'm always going to play on the DP World Tour. It doesn't matter if I'm No. 1 in the world or leading the FedExCup. There's a lot of good events at the start of the year and a lot of good events at the end of the year. Just going back there, I need to play golf, I need to obviously do what I do and work.
Q. Was that good for you to kind of get back over there, kind of on familiar territory and maybe get some confidence back?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: Yeah, it was nice. In Belgium I finished fourth on a golf course that I know. I've played there two years before that. So that obviously gives you confidence. Here on the PGA TOUR every single golf course is new. I think Myrtle Beach is the only one that I've played. Missed the cut by one there.
I think if I manage to keep my card this year on the PGA TOUR, next year I will feel like I'm back on the DP World Tour, like everything, all golf courses are familiar. You know where is the range and where is everything.
Some guys get that quickly. For me, I feel like I've adapted because I travel all around the world. But it just doesn't always work as planned.
Q. We've seen guys, I guess as recently as Robert McIntyre last year, just talk about his first full year on the PGA TOUR he felt homesick, lonely. Is that a feeling that you've felt this year at all?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: No, I'm quite of an introvert when it comes to traveling stuff, so I've been professional for 11 years now, so it's not unfamiliar for me. As a junior in South Africa you play 35 events, so even as an 8, 9-year-old I was away every single weekend for golf tournaments.
I think that's one thing you're getting used to. Even for the Americans that go to Europe, it shouldn't be too different because you're leaving home anyway. Whether it's a two-hour flight or 20-hour flight, you're not in your bed. You need to adapt.
Homesick, I mean, it's not nice; I would love to be home. But my girlfriend traveling with me, me and my caddie are good mates, my physio, as well. So I've got a nice team and enough people to keep me entertained.
Q. Do you have a home base, or are you just --
THRISTON LAWRENCE: I'm just traveling back and forth. I've got a good mine of friend, Thomas Aiken, that lives in Jupiter that plays on the DP so I get to stay with him if he lets me, and it's easy with AirBNB to just book somewhere and just go wherever you want and not get attached. It would be nice to get something, but I'm not yet sure where that is for now.
Q. Was it Troon last year that you were fourth?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: Yes.
Q. What is it about tough golf courses and the brutal scoring conditions that brings out the best in you?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: Yeah, I was saying it maybe brings a bit more focus to the game. But with tough golf courses there's not many options. It's either fairway or rough. If you're in the rough, you chip out, and it's the same for everyone. I feel like there's some courses in America where I miss the fairway by a yard and it's not nice, but someone missed it by 40 yards and they could make birdie.
Tough courses, it's 99 percent fair for everybody because if you're in the rough, you're chipping out, doesn't matter what. Like I said, my strength is driving, so on a tough golf course if you manage to keep it in play, anybody is going to play good golf if you keep it in play from the tee on this golf course.
Q. How long have you used this current driver?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: So the 440 model I've been using since Jan, but I've actually moved to -- I was in a 10 1/2 head, went to a 9-degree because the new face is a bit fade bias so I went to a 9 and lofted it up a bit to like 10. Then two weeks ago in Amsterdam we went like .4 degrees more loft just for me to work it. I struggle to work it right to left --
Q. Pretty much back to 10 and a half?
THRISTON LAWRENCE: Pretty much back to 10 and a half, but it just sets up a little different. I manage to get a bit more spin, and it gives me opportunity to work it right to left when I want to.
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