Q. What was the best part of your game today?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: My putting. To make those putts at 7 and 8 were huge.
Q. Especially on this course, to make those kind of putts, how special is that?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I made some good par saving putts today, and as you mentioned, the course is playing tough, especially the greens. If the greens get even harder than they are now, it's going to be a challenge this weekend. But today the putts went in and so I'm satisfied.
Q. Is this one of your favorite courses? You're playing with a guy who it might be his favorite course, with Cantlay. Where do you rank this?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I really like this golf course. I wish I could play it more in a non-tournament setting because it's just fantastic here. But it is a difficult golf course and that's the big challenge.
Q. Is that a request for membership here?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Yeah, we'll talk to Mr. Nicklaus about that. Maybe Jason can give us a recommendation.
Q. What's the best part about having a beard?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I don't have to shave it.
Q. What inspired you to stop shaving?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I don't know why I let it grow out, but then everybody says, man, it looks really good, so I guess it might be here to stay.
Q. It looks good.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Thank you.
Q. Have you found your game starting to get into form as it gets close to a very busy time of the year, U.S. Open, British, playoffs?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Well, today the result was good. I'm satisfied with that. But, I mean, it's been a tough spell. I had an injury on my neck. Distance is down from where it was. But I'm working through it and hopefully we'll have a good summer.
Q. How do you feel?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I feel great. You never know, though, tomorrow morning.
Q. To follow up on that, I think the neck injury kept you out of Quail Hollow. How far does it go back and what caused it and what have been the challenges?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: The injury occurred at last year's Bay Hill, so it's been over a year now. On Wells Fargo, after the Masters I went back home to Japan, didn't practice at all, didn't pick up a club, just tried to rest. So I really wasn't prepared to play Wells Fargo, so I had to withdraw.
Q. You've obviously won here. What is it about this course that suits your game so well?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: That's a good question. I wish I knew the answer. All I can do now is just hope for a good weekend, wake up tomorrow and do my best.
Q. When was the last time you really reworked or tweaked your swing, if you did, and when you do that, how much kind of concern and worry that when you make that change?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Yeah, my swing really hasn't changed that much, even though I can say that, but it changes really every day. You have to make adjustments and I feel like now I'm heading in the right direction. And again, hopefully we'll see how it goes over the weekend.
Q. Real curious, do you like to play the week before a major? Do you not? I haven't really looked at the schedule.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Doesn't really matter.
Q. What club did you hit on 17?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: 8-iron.
Q. Curious, you've been out here a long time, I see the Japanese media's here, especially after you won the Masters, I know the attention you get, what's that like dealing with that attention all the time and I'm sure you're used to it, but what's it like?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: No, I'm grateful that the media is here. It's my connection to my fans back in Japan. I'm glad they're able it see me play. But like you said, sometimes there is an expectation that is difficult to live up to sometimes.
Q. Do we ask more questions than the Japanese press today?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: It is, because usually if I'm not playing well they don't ask very many questions.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports