Q. Got off to a really hot start. How do you feel like you played it to get it within two?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I feel like I played really solid. There were a few putts I felt like I made that lipped out or stayed right on the edge. But other than that, really, really a lot of good stuff. I hit it nice. Drove it well today. Hit some good iron shots.
But you know, like you said, it got so firm late in the day. It was pretty challenging.
Q. What's the biggest challenge going off on a Thursday in the opening round in the second to last group? It almost feels like a Saturday in contention, second to last on.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Just your normal stuff. The golf course gets firmer. The greens get a little more chewed up. Typically the wind is a little bit more, which I'm want sure if it was the case today with the wind, but the greens definitely got firmer and definitely got -- you know, there was just a lot of traffic on the greens with guys reading putts and doing everything they need to do in order to get ready.
So going out late is typically going to be harder than going out early, but that's just is part of it. I get to go a little bit earlier tomorrow, so get home, get some rest, and start over.
Q. Was 15 playing the hardest you've seen it play here?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I just got asked a question about that, and close to it. I think in 2022 we had some similar firmness, and it was pretty windy from what I remember. So that was as close as I could think, but with that hole playing a little bit downwind, even though it wasn't much wind, you had to land it a pace or two on the green at the most if you wanted to hold it with your second shot.
Hitting a wedge was -- you basically only had the same amount of room. You saw what happened to Bob in my group there. It's just stuff can happen quick around this place, and it's really hard.
Even like Gary and I both hit pretty good shots in there. His ball lands on the back fringe. He's almost in the water long. You can just as easily chip skip that ball in the water. I'm sure you saw some carnage on that hole today, but it was challenging.
Q. Having not played since The PLAYERS, obviously you had something way bigger going on in your life, but how do you think the layoff has been that long, and ideally under normal circumstances would you have liked to have played Houston and had one more under your belt?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Typically I play Houston before I play this tournament, so it was a little bit of a different prep than I'm used to. Like you said, for good reason.
Actually, I committed thinking the baby might come a little bit early, but I was glad I stayed home because I think he came that Friday, so was definitely glad that I wasn't out of town and I was able to be home for that.
Overall I felt like I got some good rest. I felt like Bay Hill and PLAYERS were some -- it was good to get home and take my mind off tournament golf for a little bit and get to practice, prepare, and play at home.
It's nice. You know, when we're waiting on Remy to be born, we can't really plan for much, so there's lots of downtime for our family. It was a sweet time.
Q. How much practice -- how much were you practicing?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: A normal amount, yeah.
Q. From your perspective, does it feel good to you the golf course? How was the test today? What things felt good to you?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: What did I do well?
Q. From your perspective.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, yeah, so I felt like I hit it nice today. Was in the fairway a lot. Hit a lot of nice iron shots. You know, I felt like -- I would have liked to have took advantage of the par-5s late in the round. That would be kind of the one thing, but eight I hit really good two shots onto the green there and hit two putts. The second one kind of wobbled off line.
13, that's a spot that I practiced from specifically to that pin, and I just hit it a little bit lower than I wanted to, and that green was crazy firm. Just kind of went through, and then 15 I hit a bunch of good shots and a good putt, and it just didn't go in.
Overall I thought it was a really solid day.
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