Q. Ryan, you knew it was going to be a daunting task to try to catch Jon. How do you feel like you performed out there today trying to get that done?
RYAN PALMER: Grinding, that's all I can say. My putter -- my short putting was really good today. I had a lot of short saved putts. I just didn't quite have it swing-wise. I hit some shots I normally wouldn't hit, I think, just a little lazy. Probably, I'm sure, the moment.
But at the end of the day I guess I won the other tournament. I mean, coming in the last two holes I told myself, I've got a two-shot lead. That's at least clear up second, and I know what that's going to do for me coming up soon.
So, yeah, Jon played great. Obviously hit a lot of great shots, and I just didn't have it.
Q. As he made the turn, things got a little squirrelly for him and then the gap tightened. How big of an opportunity did you find that, and do you feel like you took advantage of it?
RYAN PALMER: I had two putts to be there. I hit a good putt on I guess it was 13. Had a chance. Had a great chance on 14. And then of course 15, we both played that hole pretty bad. But had two putts there. They're not gimmes, obviously, but I had two chances from 18 feet or so.
But these greens are tough to putt. The speed slowed down a little bit from the delay and the little bit of rain they got.
You know, I'm pretty proud to come back this week after last week. You know, I go home, I find out what's going on, I get an old putter, and then come out and play this kind of golf for these four days. Man, I'm going to go enjoy this. I obviously didn't win, but it felt like a victory for sure.
Q. Did you know that you get into the U.S. Open?
RYAN PALMER: I knew I had a chance to get into Memphis, World Golf, I think. I know they're going to go deep inside the world rankings. This may have jumped me inside 50, I don't know. But I knew if I got in the 60s, maybe 50s, I'd have a chance at Memphis and the U.S. Open. I don't know if it did or not. It may have.
Q. The U.S. Open, this is one of the qualifiers, so it's top two out of the top 10 --
RYAN PALMER: Okay. I didn't know that.
Q. Congratulations.
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, that's even better.
Q. You didn't know is what I'm picking up on here.
RYAN PALMER: I probably read it l just forgot I read it. I didn't realize this is one of those qualifying tournaments. That's great to know.
Like I said, I'm proud of the way I played this week and after what I went through last week. You know, I'm going to enjoy this for a week.
Q. Those are two pretty big carrots. Does that help with your outlook?
RYAN PALMER: It's huge, especially getting into World Golf. Gets me one step closer to Atlanta. That puts me in the top 30 in the FedExCup Playoffs. I'm going to play Memphis, the PGA, assuming I get into Memphis. But, yeah, this is huge. That way I can build up a good gap going into the Playoffs, and the ultimate goal is to get to Atlanta.
Q. What did you say to Jon on 16 when he chipped in?
RYAN PALMER: I just said I was proud of him. He deserved it. He deserved to be No. 1 after he got there. I think he was going to. Just congratulated him and told him I was proud of him. He's a young, fiery player, that's for sure, but he's fun to watch.
Q. You talk about him being fiery. Isn't that what drives him?
RYAN PALMER: It is. That's why he's so good. You've got to have that. He gets probably a bad rap every now and then from his fiery outbursts, but that's what drives him and gets him going. No, it was enjoyable to watch, to be there with him. And like I said, I was proud to see him win.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports