THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome David Ford into the interview room here at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Making his professional debut this week. David, thanks for joining us for a few minutes.
DAVID FORD: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: If we can get some comments on being here and playing as a pro for the first time and what that feels like?
DAVID FORD: I'm thrilled to be here. It's a golf course that I know, and I've had success on, so to make it my first start as a pro is sweet.
Just the tournament so far has been great. The food has been amazing. The fitness trailers and everything that comes with being a pro has been super helpful. I'm thrilled to be here.
THE MODERATOR: Just comment about your career at North Carolina with all of the records that you set, especially during your senior year when you played so well. Just talk a little bit about the season as a whole and then also your career in Chapel Hill.
DAVID FORD: I think I haven't had a whole lot of time to reflect on it because the turnaround to this event has been so quick, but just looking at some of the records, it's an honor to see the players that have come before me and played so great, and to know that I'm in the same conversation as them is amazing.
Yeah, my time at Carolina was awesome. We had a great environment to get better, and our team culture was awesome the four years that I was there. Yeah, excited for what the boys are going to do in the future too.
THE MODERATOR: This tournament specifically, you won the Ben Hogan Collegiate to get the invite here. Just talk a little bit about this golf course, how it sets up for your game, and what makes it special here.
DAVID FORD: I like it a lot. The one thing that stands out the most about this course is you've got to keep it in the fairway, and when you get out of position, you've got to get it back into position quickly.
The landing areas around the greens are small. The fairways are tight. The rough is high. So, yeah, it's a really tough PGA TOUR course. I've talked to some of the guys, and they say it's one of the tougher ones that they see all year. Yeah, to make it a course that is my first pro debut is great and one that I've had success on feels great.
THE MODERATOR: Projected No. 1 in the PGA TOUR University. Just talk a little bit about that and then also just your career that is ahead of you and then also being out here eventually as a member.
DAVID FORD: Yeah, I guess we'll have to see how the rankings shape out today. I think once those are finalized, I hope today, I'll have more official information. But, yeah, I'm pumped to be out on the road and playing a bunch of pro events.
I've had a chance to glance at the schedule ahead. A ton of great events. A ton of great spots to travel to, so I'm thrilled.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.
Q. Who do you have on the bag this week with you?
DAVID FORD: My brother, Maxwell Ford.
Q. Is that just for this week, or will this be Canadian Open also?
DAVID FORD: I think just for this week. I knew that our family and some of our close friends had blocked off their schedules for us to be at a different tournament this week, so I knew he was free. I knew this would be one of the few opportunities that he would have when he's not playing to caddie for me. So I figured it would be a great time to do it.
He knows the golf course, and he knows my game well. Yeah, we're pumped.
Q. You guys had other experiences of being on the bag in competition?
DAVID FORD: A little bit. I think he caddied for me at a few match-play events before. The North & South Amateur in either 2022 or 2023. He caddied for me there.
He just knows my game really well. When we get out there, it's really comfortable. We keep it light. We stay focused, but yeah, he just knows my game really well. He knows what I need. He knows what to say.
Q. You guys sharing a house this week? Who is all here?
DAVID FORD: Yeah, both parents are here. His fiance is here, and then my girlfriend is coming in. So a lot of family here, a lot of friends here. It will be fun.
Q. Talk about your practice round yesterday playing with two former UNC grads. What's that experience like, and how important is it to be out there with them learning the ropes a little bit more?
DAVID FORD: Yeah, it was fun. They keep it really loose out there. I think especially Ben Griffin is one of the more chill guys on and off the course that I've ever seen. So it was fun to be out there with them.
I think if I had to characterize the practice round in one word, it's just they have a lot of fun. Their caddies are having fun too, but while they're having fun be, they're getting work done. Two guys that I look up to and admire. I see the success they've had the past few years really, and I think the world of both their games. I'm pumped to be out here with them.
Q. Do you have a schedule lined up yet, or do you have any kind of idea what you're going to try to play?
DAVID FORD: I don't have a full schedule yet. I'm projected to play RBC Canadian Open. I think that will be my first start if everything stays the same. Past that I don't have much.
THE MODERATOR: Three prior starts on tour. A T58 at ISCO and then you've also played the Arnold Palmer. Talk about those three starts and what you learned from those as you go forward.
DAVID FORD: I think the biggest thing that I've learned from the past tour events is it's all about getting comfortable. I know I can play. I know I can compete. I have a lot of trust and belief in my own golf game.
But, yeah, it's just about getting comfortable, and I think if you look at some of the scores in those events that I shot and just some of the pairings I had, there were times where I was very uncomfortable. As much as this week is amazing and cool and shiny, I think I'm just trying to get comfortable.
I'm leaning on the experiences that I've had in pro events in the past just to make that gap a little easier.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports