JON RAHM: Well, besides the times where it rained heavily, which was only moments here and there, I think it was a little easier conditions. It wasn't quite as windy, so that makes the course slightly easier.
When it comes to me, obviously I struck it much better, only missed two greens, hit it really, really well, and gave myself a ton of birdie opportunities.
Had I putted a little better, obviously I would be a little bit closer to in contention. I'm not being too far fetched, I missed three putts yesterday inside five feet and a lot of good looks today that just didn't want to go in. Really happy that coming down the stretch I played good, especially those last two holes.
Finishing with those two pars having two 15-footers for birdie, that's a good way to finish.
Q. Was there something about yesterday? Was it just the golf course? Was there anything you were particularly bothered by?
JON RAHM: Yeah, so obviously it wasn't easy. It's windy. Course is firm. The fairways are hard to hit. But besides the first I would say five, six holes, I didn't hit my best off the tee. I missed the fairways on 16, 17 and 18, and making pars on those is going to be very difficult. The few times I missed the fairway, I ended up making mistakes. Going long on 2 is a penalty stroke. Who knows about it because the other ones I didn't really hit the fairway.
I think there was a moment, right, from 16 to 2 or 3, on that stretch of golf, I could maybe make one or two putts that change the momentum of the round, you may be looking at a different day. I think that happened to Rory yesterday. He was in a bad dynamic, made that putt on 2 and turned around the whole round.
Again, I keep going back, you're going to hit it better or worse, but I wish I would have made a couple putts closer to the hole. Those are shots given away that you can't afford to give away in majors.
Q. One of those moments was the three birdies in a row; is that something you think you can replicate tomorrow?
JON RAHM: Yeah, I was pissed out there bogeying one of the easier holes on the course. All you need to do is somehow hit it in between the lines. Doesn't even need to go far, and you have a short iron into a pin. That's doable today. I wasn't happy.
Knowing that those next three holes were doable, I tried to be a little bit more aggressive and go after it and hit the shots I needed to and made the birdies I needed to.
Looking forward to that tomorrow, hopefully.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports