Q. Terrific round of golf.
MARK POWER: Yeah, it was just one of those days, I made nice yesterday. Lytham is obviously tricky, but felt like I shot 1-over but felt like I could have done better. I knew if I came out here and stayed patient and gave myself some looks, I'd have a chance of going low and that's exactly what I did. I hit many greens on the front nine, and just got the putter rolling well and obviously to start the back nine, birdie, birdie was a nice start.
I'm happy with my round, but yeah, it could have been even better.
Q. Just to confirm, you're 7-under through 11 holes today?
MARK POWER: Yeah, 7-under after 11. I made a lovely little putt for birdie on 11, and confidence was just flowing. IT wasn't even like I felt, wow, I'm 7-under. I felt comfortable to keep it going. I just leaked my tee shot right on 13, the par 3 and made bogey.
Played solid golf coming in. Was unlucky on 17. Just got off the face of green-side bunker and couldn't make birdie. Hit it in close on the last. If I made that, could have been maybe tied clubhouse leader.
But I'll take where I'm at and I'm pretty happy going match play.
Q. Clearly a man in form and probably someone people want to avoid tomorrow.
MARK POWER: Yeah, I've had a nice run in this tournament before. A couple years ago, I went close, lost in the semifinals. I like where my game is right now. I got some really good work done the last couple weeks ever since I came back from the States.
I felt quite confident going into this week. Just a matter of staying out of my own way and I'm looking forward to this run in the match play hopefully.
Q. How much is there a sense of trying to achieve what you topped in 2020?
MARK POWER: Yeah, for us guys this side of the pond, this is the one we all want. It's a matter of not putting too much pressure on myself. I know I've been in this situation before where I could get a run. Just trying to, as I said stay out of my own way and let things look after themselves. It's hard to get it done, so just take every match as it comes now.
Q. You can't took too far ahead but quite a prize at the end of the week as well. Do you have thoughts like that?
MARK POWER: For sure, when you see the likes of Joe Long and even Laird Shepherd coming through the last couple years, you watch those guys on TV and living it up, playing in the Masters and The Open, that's where we all want to be.
I suppose going into the week, you have those pictures in your head but you want to stay level-headed and see what happens during the week.
Q. What college are you at again?
MARK POWER: Wake Forest.
Q. Hows that the game generally been?
MARK POWER: It's been good. I found -- middle of this year, I felt a little bit lost with my game. I suppose my coach being on the other side of the ocean, there's only so much you can do with video, sending across videos. I got a little bit lost with my game.
But I started playing a little bit better towards the of end of the season, and it was great to see him when I got back home. I feel like I'm in a pretty comfortable position with my game right now.
College is going good but I have one more year left, so I'm hoping for a better next year than I have this year.
Q. What are you studying?
MARK POWER: Golf. I'm a communications major. It's actually going pretty well.
Q. So you're after our job if the golf doesn't work?
MARK POWER: There we go. See what happens.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports