Q. Good playing.
DAVID LIPSKY: Thank you.
Q. You go in with a chance. It's hard out there. Does it feel like a major?
DAVID LIPSKY: I mean, the afternoon's definitely tough. The wind was swirling a little bit, rough's still heavy. That's not going anywhere. Greens firmed up and got quick. So, yeah, it wasn't easy out there.
I had a tough finish, but I made a lot of birdies, a lot of nice putts in between then, and I have a lot of things to lean on going into tomorrow.
Q. Did you always think this course would set up nicely for you, that you might actually have your first win here?
DAVID LIPSKY: I don't know necessarily about that. I do like the course. It's a course that puts a premium on fairways, managing your ball, good short game, good putting. I feel like I do a lot of that stuff.
Q. As everything goes through ebbs and flows, do you watch the leaderboard to see what's going on? Is it too early for that? How do you approach leaderboard watching at this stage?
DAVID LIPSKY: It's Saturday. I'm not too concerned with the leaderboards yet. Maybe back nine on Sunday I'll start thinking about it. But I was just focused on playing my game. I mean, it's too hard out there to focus on anything else but your game.
Q. How much of a virtue is patience for you on this course and understanding the patience that is a virtue that comes with that?
DAVID LIPSKY: Oh, I mean, I think it's a huge asset. It's a huge asset because when you do see the leaderboards, you do see guys making bogeys everywhere. You know it's tough, so you know pars are good, grinding it out, not making any big numbers, stupid plays. So that's what I was focused on.
Q. Yesterday you talked about how you liked the heat. How was it treating you today?
DAVID LIPSKY: Oh, I have a nice cotton shirt on. I'm feeling great.
Q. So when you get out there and these conditions are as favorable as they are to you, especially given the temperature, are you kind of thinking in the back of your mind, like, I can go out here and I can shoot a good round today?
DAVID LIPSKY: Yeah, definitely. I felt good warming up, swing felt great, body felt nice and loose. So, yeah, I felt mentally and physically prepared.
Q. I've heard quite a few guys say that when the weather is tough, it makes them lock in on each shot. When a course is playing tough, does it kind of do the same thing, that it makes you stay in the present moment?
DAVID LIPSKY: Yeah, definitely. You can't really focus on -- you have to be so focused in on what you're trying to do, what the course is giving you, and then just try to hit the best shot you can because any sign of like mental lapse and you can make bogeys and doubles really quick out here.
Q. When you get in these situations like where you are -- where you're going to be tomorrow, what do you fall back on? You have a couple wins over on the DP world TOUR. Is there something you have in your mind that you fall back on that you try to focus on when you're in these situations in the hunt?
DAVID LIPSKY: Yeah, definitely. I feel like I've won at every stage of the game professionally. I haven't broken through on the PGA TOUR and hopefully that's coming soon. But I know I can win, I know I can close out tournaments, and I'm always excited to be in the hunt.
Q. Does it help having the stable of guys you play a lot of golf with in Vegas? Obviously some of them have had a lot of success on the PGA TOUR. Do you kind of feel like you go out there and you can beat some of them and you know you can do it when it's difficult out here?
DAVID LIPSKY: Yeah, definitely. I play a lot with Kurt and Taylor and Justin Suh. We play all the time. We support each other, practice with each other. You sort of feel like you can compete and then there's not this huge gap between you and someone else.
Q. Who is paying for dinner tonight, by the way?
DAVID LIPSKY: I think I had low round of the day, so I'm paying for dinner.
Q. You played here twice before. You got a sponsor's exemption into this event in 2019. How meaningful was that at the time when you were not on the PGA TOUR, you were playing elsewhere around the world and what did it mean to you?
DAVID LIPSKY: I mean, it meant the world to me. I think -- I forget what I finished that week, 50th or 40th or something like that. But that helped me get enough cuts or get enough points to get through the cutoff for the top 200 on the FedExCup and get my Korn Ferry Tour card. If I didn't have this opportunity I'm not sure I would be here right now.
Q. And now you're leading.
DAVID LIPSKY: Yeah, exactly.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports