Q. I wanted to ask about Springfield last year. Was that your first time playing there?
SAHITH THEEGALA: Yes.
Q. Why did you choose it?
SAHITH THEEGALA: Because I knew I was here. And I didn't want to play the Columbus one because it's 140 TOUR guys. No, thanks. I'll go compete against 30 TOUR guys over at Springfield. Never had seen the course. Making the cut last year here and went over there seeing it blind. But it worked out.
Q. Why do you think you had success there?
SAHITH THEEGALA: Man, that course is -- I really like that course, A Donald Ross course. The greens are just ridiculous. Every green is pitched -- there's such a huge slope on every green. I just love it. It's fun golf. I'm barely hitting full shots on the green.
I feel my imagination works really good out there. Chip 8-irons from 100 to keep the spin off and stuff like that. It's a sweet place.
Q. You sound like you're excited to play 36 holes tomorrow. I bet most guys aren't.
SAHITH THEEGALA: I'm pretty pumped. I want to play a U.S. Open, obviously. I guess it's because it's my rookie year, some stuff is still fresh. I totally get it, guys that don't want to play. I'm going to be exhausted tomorrow, especially coming off this golf course.
Q. If I remember correctly, it was a playoff last year?
SAHITH THEEGALA: Playoff, yeah. I didn't even think I was going to be even be in a playoff.
Q. How much confidence did you take from there?
SAHITH THEEGALA: A lot, that was probably one of the most nervous moments ever, because I had no status or nothing. Right? I was, like, if I get in I have another opportunity to get points.
And my caddie, Zack, a good buddy who caddied for me last year for a bit there -- shout-out, Zack -- but he told me it was the first time that he was, like, truly heart-pumping nervous in the playoff. And the guy is a stone-cold killer, too. And he said his heart's beating out of his chest.
Q. Did you feel nervous?
SAHITH THEEGALA: Yeah, probably not as much because I'm the one in control. He's just watching, praying, kind of thing.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports