THE MODERATOR: Scott Hend is with us now at the 2026 Senior PGA Championship. Scott, a real nice 65 for you today. 10-under for the week. How are you feeling going into the weekend?
SCOTT HEND: Good. I like the golf course. Greens are putting nice. Obviously I was fortunate enough to be first group out this morning, so no wind, perfect greens for the first nine. It was an ideal position to shoot a good score.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. It sounds like you took off on the back nine, so can you talk a little bit about those three birdies and then two birdies you had?
SCOTT HEND: I was disappointed in yesterday's two double bogeys on the back nine, so I wanted to play that nine a bit smarter and a bit better today, so I didn't short-side myself as much as what I did yesterday, and it seemed to work out quite well.
Q. What were the conditions? You said they were pretty easy today. What were they like yesterday afternoon?
SCOTT HEND: I really can't complain because my best score was on the last nine yesterday, which was the front nine. The wind yesterday, it seemed like we were getting those little hot swirls of wind.
You stand over a shot on the par-3, and you thought it was out of the right, and once you hit it, it was out of the left and then vice versa when the next guy hit. It was just a little tricky in that way trying to pick the wind.
This morning didn't really have any wind so to speak of.
Q. I believe the count is 14 birdies and an eagle through two rounds, which I know it's early, but by the end of the day, still has to be up near the top. What's been the secret to making birdies out on this golf course?
SCOTT HEND: Hit good tee shots; hole putts. Same everywhere. Some of the pins you can't really play at it, because if you do play at it and you do miss by a couple of yard or a yard, it will roll off to the collection area. That's what I meant by not short-siding myself.
I played away from a couple of pins and got fortunate enough to hole a couple of putts, which were over 10 feet, so it was nice.
Q. What's going to be your approach going into the weekend? You're clearly going to be at or near the top of the lead.
SCOTT HEND: Well, it's been my approach all year. I want to play here full-time on the Champions Tour. I'd like to better my performance from my first Senior PGA up in Michigan, and we'll just do what we can to put some points in the bank and hopefully get some silverware.
We'll see what happens. There's a lot of good players out there. Just have to keep going forward.
Q. So talking about the weekend, you look at the leaderboard, what do you think will be the guys you have to look for and the guys that are going to be up there?
SCOTT HEND: There's ten guys out there, mate. I'm not going to name anyone. You know who they are. I haven't got any majors in my back pockets, so the guys who have majors should be the ones that are favorites.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports