Q. Here with Kip Poppert. 7-under 65 championship low round for male category. Just talk us through this round, especially the back nine, 31.
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, it was really nice. It was nice and cool this morning. This course is set up for scoring. There is not too much rough. It's quite, yeah, almost semi-rough to be honest, if you miss the fairways -- and the fairways for me coming from Europe are massive.
Yeah, I just wedged -- as I mentioned to you guys yesterday, my strengths are wedge play and putting, and I got to do a lot of that.
Q. What's it like to prepare all week and go out in a competition round like that and shoot a championship low round?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, probably say prepared the last ten years to be honest. I mean, yesterday was good. I stayed on the putting green a while yesterday. Actually putting in the heat yesterday was almost good practice because it's going to be hot, like getting my body used to it a little bit.
Yeah, just really pleased. I've worked hard. I knew the score would be good. Juan's obviously had a 5-under; Brendan is 3. Come on.
Q. Couple others at 4.
KIPP POPERT: Yeah. What's his name? I've lost his name. Yeah, so I know this week the first round is just the first round, but getting off it a hot start I'm very pleased. But it's keep the foot down.
Q. Coming in as defending champion you have a target on your back. What's int mean to be making a statement like this and be sitting at the top of the leaderboard now?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, very pleased. Anyone likes to shoot 7-under, so I'm chuffed. Like all my other friends and competitors we come here to win. I don't mind having a target on my back because to be honest I just like playing golf. It's in the life or death.
Q. I know it's competition. You're taking it very seriously. How fun is it to be here all your buddies, staying with Kurtis and Mike and cooking up steak at the airbnb? How cool is it to just be here and enjoy time with friends?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, exactly. I was mentioning outside with the G4D stuff we do on the European Tour we only are there for three days really, fly in, fly out.
So to be here with a couple practice rounds, few days before, it's just nice to actually hang out with your mates and stuff, so, yeah, good.
Q. Can you talk about the eagle on 16? How did that come about? Hit the green in two or...
KIPP POPERT: I took three shots. No, I hit a really good drive. Hit two poor drives the previous two holes. Stated to feel the hit a little bit. Hit a good drive down there. Had 170-ish. I am going to do some work in a bit when I've got a bit more energy.
Out in the heat the ball is going a lot further, so I want to do some work on the range to get a few numbers. So hit a little 7-iron and then had 30 feet downhill right to left and holed it, which was nice.
Q. You mentioned the wide fairways and the fact that you are -- yesterday you mentioned your driving and wedge game. How many fairways did you hit today? Those two poor drives you just mentioned, were those the only two you missed?
KIPP POPERT: I think so. Like as in I think I probably hit a lot of fairways. I was doing my stats before I came in here but I haven't finished them yet.
I hit it really good. Yeah, just I love playing wedges. It's what I'm good at, so I shot a lot of those in today.
Q. It's hard to back up a good round with another good round tomorrow. What's the mindset going into tomorrow? Try to go one better or are you thinking something else?
KIPP POPERT: Yeah, to be honest like I didn't try and shoot 7-under today. You just got to let it happen. People get in their way too often. So go do exactly what I've been doing. I know if you play this course and just play smart you're going to make a lot of birdies. It's keeping the bogeys off that's my priority to be honest.
Because the pins weren't tucked so you could go at them. I had one today and I think that will be a key to -- because I think I don't know how many birdies Juan had or Brendan, but I think you'll see it's quite a lot.
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