Q. The par on the last hole was an important one to make, wasn't it?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, a lovely feeling. Obviously making bogey on the last is never nice. It's a tough hole. But it's an amazing feeling when you scrape a par like that. Keeps me sort of just behind the leaders, as close as I can tomorrow, the better, really. Yeah, a lovely feeling.
Q. You're set up for a final day. That last group is going to be something to see?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I'm very, very excited to play. You look at the leaderboard, the leaderboard is amazing. It's like a leaderboard that you would expect at the Olympic and probably what the sport deserves, if you like.
Happy to be a part of it and sort of, you know, been doing very well so far. So we'll see. I'm just looking forward to tomorrow.
Q. Can you talk us through the round a little bit, what you thought you did well?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Again, my swing isn't flowing. It's not where I would like it to be but I've managed it so well all week.
I did the same again today, really. Didn't really hit it in any terrible spots. One bogey, which is a great effort around here. I know there are great scores, and obviously when people play well, they will shoot good scores.
I thought it was tougher today. The pins were pretty tricky. It can be frustrating at times because you know there's good scores out there but for me, I hit good shots on 4 and 10 but other than that, I was never very close.
So I never really had like loads of opportunities. It could be frustrating but I stayed very patient, stayed with it. I think, you know, at the time, I made a really good 2-putt on 13 and then an unbelievable bunker shot on 14 and I think those are important holes.
Then obviously finish with pars. But it was a tougher day and I just felt like I managed everything well with what I had.
Q. Did you have a sense of what's going on around you, and is it hard to remain patient in those moments?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, you're always aware of it. I think the crowds let you know, as well, and there's obviously unbelievable players that are on the leaderboard that you know are capable of anything. When you can't quite push like you'd like to, it can be frustrating. But patience is an asset that everybody needs at times, and I showed that; I was happy with how I did that today.
Q. Every tee, people were cheering 'Tommy.'
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, Hideki and Wyndham said over the first two days, "Is this your home country?"
They have been amazing with me and it's definitely a different crowd to what we are used to. It's definitely an Olympic crowd, and the atmosphere has been amazing.
Yeah, I always consider myself very lucky like with the support I guess, connections with people that I make. But these have been great, and absolutely to be playing the Olympics, to be in contention and to have the support that you have, I mean, they are things that you dream of; if you don't enjoy this, then what's the point.
Q. Did you see a 62 on the scoreboard?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, I mean, what a round of golf that is. Was that Nicolai? Unbelievable round of golf.
I think today was the toughest day for sure. I felt like the pins were tucked a way a bit. Wind was a bit stronger. I thought today was the toughest day so far.
Q. Was the 62 a different mindset to what's possible tomorrow or was that just a freak?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It's not a freak round. It's a freakishly good round. You can only play with what you've got.
Like I said today, I don't think I was capable of shooting that score with what I had. You just have to play with what you've got, and if I had gone out today and started firing and thought 62 is what I needed to do, I'd be nowhere near and I'd probably be worse off.
But I'm only one shot off the lead. There's that, as well, and I've got to focus on those things and just doing my best, really, tomorrow.
Q. Do you feel it's more pressure or motivation (with Fitzpatrick withdrawing)?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I feel for Fitz, really. The Olympics is something that's very special and comes around once every four years, and yeah, pulling out for injury is part and parcel for the sport. Horrible time for it to happen. I haven't spoken to him yet. I just feel for Fitz, really.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports