Q. Did any of the changes they made to the course greatly alter the way you viewed a tee shot or selected a club or changed a shot in any ways?
WYNDHAM CLARK: Yeah, hole 6 with that junk up on the right, I definitely -- I teed it up on the right side and was essentially trying to hit it down the left side of the fairway or in the left rough to eliminate any of the big numbers that could happen from right on 6.
Then hole 12, I've always hit driver and I've always tried to take it over that bunker. Now, because of the separation, I hit 3 -- iron and it almost cost me a shot, so, yeah.
Q. Given that, do you think it made the course harder or?
WYNDHAM CLARK: Yeah, no, the course is definitely harder. I think the shrinking of the green on 9 and 11 were really good changes.
Then, guys not hitting driver on 12, it's definitely more of you got to hit two really good shots to try to make birdie.
Then 6, it's not my favorite change, but it definitely makes it tougher tee shot, so it's not just a wide fairway and if you miss it you just chip out. Now it's really penal.
Q. 6 is just the narrowing, is that what you're referring to?
WYNDHAM CLARK: They narrowed it, but then they put fescue on the right.
And then 7 they put more fescue on left. It's essentially -- I don't like that change either personally -- but it makes it way tougher on 7. On the left on 7 it's basically a water hazard. If you miss the fairway by two yards left you're in three feet, I mean, almost lost ball, grass. So I think it changes -- guys will be in the right bunker a lot more on that hole, so it definitely has made it harder.
Q. People are out here melting in the heat, but for you guys it probably doesn't matter that much how does the heat impact you guys.
WYNDHAM CLARK: It affects you. Fortunately, we train a lot and so we're used to being in the heat, and we hydrate a ton before the round and then obviously during the round. I would be shocked to see many guys out practicing after the round just because of the heat. But, yeah, this is definitely some intense heat.
Q. How would you categorize your round today?
WYNDHAM CLARK: I felt like I played great all day, to be honest. I hit a great putt on both 10 and 11 that didn't fall.
Nice save on 12.
I hit an incredible putt on 13. So I thought that was going to be a birdie.
Then misjudged the lie on the next hole. I played great I just didn't make the putts on the back nine. So I felt like it was a complete round and one blemish on this golf course is pretty good.
Q. What was your best shot today?
WYNDHAM CLARK: Let's think about it. Just because I've been working so hard on my swing and hitting cuts, the iron shot I hit on hole 5, I hit a cut 5-iron in there to about 12 feet was probably the best shot for me.
Q. It's obviously been not a great run for you since Harbour Town. What have you been working on over the last couple months and how does this help the confidence to show up on a golf course today and shoot a good score?
WYNDHAM CLARK: I worked on every part of my game. To be honest, it's some of the hardest I've worked in a long time. First, we're really trying to work on the short game and feel like we've gotten that to where it's in a great spot. Same thing with the putting. Then, unfortunately, you do that and then you lose your swing. So then I was working on my swing, and so the last two weeks have been a lot of grinding on the swing, and I feel like we made some good headway and I hit it pretty good today.
Q. This is the first tournament you get to play officially as Olympian, did it feel any different?
WYNDHAM CLARK: No, but it is a nice weight lifted off my shoulders knowing that I made the team versus feeling like if I was trying to hold on in any regards. So now that I made it, it doesn't matter if you're the No. 1 guy or the 4th guy, as long as you make the team. So it's pretty awesome that I finally made it.
Q. You had the Ryder Cup last year, but what does it mean to be able to represent the United States here?
WYNDHAM CLARK: The Ryder Cup in golf is kind of the biggest thing, but now that golf's in the Olympics, it's probably even bigger than that, because you're representing your country at such a bigger level. Hopefully, all four of us can go and try to snag some podium spots and give medals to the U.S. to try to win that total medal count. But, yeah, it's pretty awesome. This probably ranks as the coolest team I've ever made, for sure.
Q. You arrived at Pinehurst as the defending champion. What were those emotions like?
WYNDHAM CLARK: It was awesome. Everyone treated me great. It's a bummer it's come to an end, but every good thing has to kind of come to an end at some point. But now it's my chance to try to be a defending champ of something else. So my mind always is looking forward to the next thing, but it definitely was a really nice week.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports