Q. Great start there and carried on from there, really?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, really good start. Really comfortable. I got another couple of birdie early. 6 and 7. 7 was a bonus because 7 is -- 6 you kind of feel like you have to birdie because they moved the tees up and I kind of I really credit to the guys who and girls who setup the golf course this week, I don't know who is in charge maybe David Garland and Kerry Haigh, I'm not sure, but they played around with a lot of tees and if you don't birdie holes like 6 you're just going distance.
Q. What was the distance today?
PAUL CASEY: It's only like 285 front. To the pin 300 and change. So soft driver for most guys of the really long guys maybe hard 3-wood. But I like that. I made a great par save on 8 after burying it under the lip. I think they saw it on TV. But then after that just kind of went flat. Just couldn't get anything going. Went from sort of tied for the lead for about tied to sixth without doing a single thing. Then dropped a bogey or made a bogey on the par-5, but then two great birdies on the last couple is what has got me back into things.
Q. How tough were the conditions out there?
PAUL CASEY: Not a problem. We're talking about the heat, I got no issue. It's a bit sweaty, I'm not used to the humidity. I live in the desert, I live in Arizona, so this isn't hot. This is just sweaty. So it's just a case of I'm we have got good guys talking about hydration and so both of us, me and Tommy, this isn't affecting us. I think it's harder work for the caddies. Being dehydrated probably shows itself in bad decisions. So everybody is on it.
Q. Is it nice to get an uninterrupted day?
PAUL CASEY: Fingers crossed on that one. And then hopefully fingers crossed for tomorrow. It doesn't matter tomorrow because we're playing for gold so who cares. Although it would be nice to have a day of no thunder storms.
Q. What's the reaction been like from home, from the fans and family? Is it different to you playing in something else kids more excited?
PAUL CASEY: My kids don't know what's going on. Actually, well they kind of know the Olympics are going on but I don't think they understand what the Olympics is all about. They're only, they're six and three. About to be seven and four. My little boy was showing me his cuddly sloth earlier, that's what basically my life is. (Laughing.) No, to be honest a lot of, it's interesting, it's gone very -- it's gone quite quiet on the messaging. It's interesting how people, normally I get messages and majors doesn't matter, final round of Masters, doesn't matter, there's always phone calls and text messages. It's gone early quiet this week.
Q. Has Justin sent you any messages?
PAUL CASEY: No, he hasn't.
Q. Expect him to?
PAUL CASEY: No, he's not going to, no, I don't. I've known Justin since I was about 11 or 12. He doesn't need to, he knows he doesn't -- nothing's going to change him sending a message right now. I've chatted to him about I know exactly what his gold medal means to him and I know that he'll be watching and he'll be rooting Tommy and I on.
Q. 64 for Tommy today. So both of you have done well.
PAUL CASEY: Fooch was the first, his caddie, was the first guy that he actually fairways timed me at Torrey Pines when I knew I had made the team. All teery eyed Fooch. Bless him. He thinks it's for him you would have to ask him, he might say it's the greatest thing he's ever done with Justin ahead of the U.S. Open. You would have to get his quote on that. That's not -- I don't want to put words in his mouth but that's something he said on the phone. But tomorrow's a big deal. I think it gets knocked quite a bit, doesn't it. It's like why do we need it, all this kind of stuff, but the guys that are here are very a waiver what this means to one person well it will be three medals but to the gold medalist tomorrow it's massive.
Q. Justin wore a hole in his pocket, he never took it out of his pocket.
PAUL CASEY: Exactly. I mean, it would get borderline annoying. "You know what my favorite song is? Gold" or whatever. You know.
Q. You were so excited coming into it this week has it lived up to expectations?
PAUL CASEY: It's been better than I could have imagined. I didn't know what to expect in terms of village life and that kind of stuff. The professionalism of Team GB, I'm blown away by. Just how, also how nice everybody is. I mean it's like the athletes are under serious pressure and it's just a whole bunch of smiles and great people. Even with success and disappointment. We have had disappointment in the camp, Rugby 7s and stuff like that. You see the guys and girls coming in and it's hard. But yeah I have to look back on it when I get out of here and kind of -- that's the other thing we're not allowed to stay, which is a bit of a shame, its beyond what I could have imagined and it's motivated me, it's inspired me, I've made new friends already. Yeah, it's been, it's already been a win I just hope it's a really big win tomorrow.
Q. Inspire you to go for Paris is only three years away and you could get the full experience there after COVID?
PAUL CASEY: Actually it has, yeah I mean I just turned 44, so why not? I mean seriously. Westie should have, could have been here, not should have, could have been here. He had the opportunity and he passed it down to Tommy. But, yeah, to me as long as -- look if I qualify, yeah, I'm in.
Q. What would you say to someone like Westie obviously passing up the opportunity to be here?
PAUL CASEY: We'll just tell him the stories of what he missed out on we'll make him slightly jealous, that's all.
Q. You mentioned on day one that there were no nerves. Did you have any today?
PAUL CASEY: Very calm today. Maybe a little on the first tee. But to me this golf course is such that it's going to yield a low score from somebody around, we don't know what, I don't know what Xander was -- there we go, three at 13-under. There you go I'm out of the medals. So currently as I stand here I'm getting nothing. So I have no pressure do I. I currently have nothing to lose because I'm not in any medal position. I think there's a load of guys out there and Xander with his low round yesterday, Tommy his low round today, I think if you want the gold and let's be honest that's what we're all talking about, it's what you all talk about, it's what anybody talks about.
Q. Rory is a shot behind you.
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, somebody's got to shoot, what is he right now? 13? Pick a number. I don't know. 18? 17. 17 might do it. But I wouldn't -- I wouldn't bet the house on 16 I wouldn't bet the house on for sure. So what have I got to look.
Q. Another 66 might just do it for you do you think?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, but I don't know, we're not allowed to gamble anyway.
Q. Obviously you want the gold but does it sort of change your mentality a little bit knowing that there is a reward for second and third?
PAUL CASEY: We'll see what that pans out as I come down the last sort of few holes or something like that. But as I stand here right now I'm only thinking about one thing.
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