Q. Playing this week on the PGA TOUR and trying to establish yourself on this TOUR, how important is this week?
BRANDON WU: It's definitely important. You've got to take advantage of all the opportunities you're given out here, especially in my position. But I also think you shouldn't put too much pressure on yourself. You've got a long career ahead of you, so try to learn, try to play your best and then go from there.
Q. You talked about your position; what is your strategy? How are you trying to map your way through these next few months of the season to get ultimately here?
BRANDON WU: Yeah, so I think one goal to have is trying to hit that FedExCup point threshold to get me into Korn Ferry finals next year. I have about 72 or 73 right now. I think if I probably get to 100, I'll be good with that.
Q. Is it stressful trying to figure all this out, getting your starts?
BRANDON WU: Not really. I think I just go out and try and play well and then count them up at the end. Kind of just like go out on the course and go about it, play the best I can, and hopefully it's good enough.
Q. Walk us through everything you went through in Utah that ultimately I'm assuming had your nerves fried a bit.
BRANDON WU: Yeah, I guess -- it was definitely a shock testing positive last Monday because I had that sponsor's exemption lined up and this one, as well. It would have been a huge bummer not to be able to play both of them, but ever since then I've tested negative four times. None of my friends tested positive, either, which is really good to hear. I'm glad I could make it this week.
Q. Were you surprised to get that result, and immediately did you say, I'm not sure this is accurate, I think this may be a false positive?
BRANDON WU: It's hard to say because I mean, I was definitely asymptomatic, but there's so many cases where you are asymptomatic that you can't be sure that it's a wrong test. So I kind of just rolled with it. But once the TOUR came out with that policy change and kind of seeing how Cameron Champ went about it, we thought it was worth a shot since I hadn't been feeling anything and might as well get tested again and see what happens.
Q. Finally, we're seeing all these great young players come right out of college and do some strong things. Has that put more pressure on you to see what they're doing, or do you just not pay attention?
BRANDON WU: I would say I pay attention, but I don't think it puts pressure. It's great to see them do well, but I also think they've paved a path and shown that you can do it. So yeah, so I just try to follow in their footsteps.
Q. Just talk about getting the sponsorship here. How did that come about and your connection with Aneel?
BRANDON WU: Yeah, it was definitely a quick turnaround because I don't think it was much after that they just announced the John Deere was getting canceled and then this event popped up with Workday. Yeah, got a call from Aneel, who's also a fellow Stanford business school alum, and he said he had one sponsor's invite and he wanted to give it to someone from Stanford. I thought that was super special, super grateful for him, and yeah, it was good to see that having that relationship at Stanford.
Q. You've played five or six tournaments, only missed one cut out on the TOUR. What have you learned in the time that you've had those events and played those events?
BRANDON WU: Yeah, I think I know that I have the game to be out here for sure, but yeah, just trying to get comfortable out here, and yeah, not take it too seriously almost. You see all these guys, but they're pretty loose, they just go out and play and have fun and try their best, and I think that's the best mentality to try and play well, as well.
Q. You got a couple looks, nine holes each day here at Muirfield Village for the first time I'm assuming. What are your impressions and what's stood out to you?
BRANDON WU: I really like the course a lot. I think it's all out in front of you, definitely some risk-reward shots. If you hit it in the fairway you can kind of just cruise around, but you start hitting a couple squirrelly drives you can be playing out of the rough all day, it's going to be tough. But the course is in beautiful condition, and yeah, looking forward to it.
Q. Did you practice on your own or did you practice with a couple other players?
BRANDON WU: I played with Patton Kizzire and Keith Mitchell today and then Zach Johnson joined us for the last few, and then yesterday was Henrik Norlander.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports