Q. You started the day with four points; how much did you need a result like this today?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, I mean, yesterday I didn't putt very well and kind of got off to a weird start, but today it was so much better from the first hole, hitting most of the greens, putting a little bit better. But mainly just hitting it better, like getting a little closer, hitting the driver good.
It was a weird week. I was going to get into the British and then it was just confusing yesterday, weird emotions, because I couldn't stand being there, and it was too good of an event, and I knew this was a good event, too. I just wanted to play somewhere, make sure I could play somewhere.
Q. You had seen when you teed off that Chez Reavie had set quite a high total; was that something on your mind? Did you go out and really attack the pins today?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, but it's an interesting format. You can have a good chance for eagle on 12, and it's just fun. You can make an eagle, or eagle-birdie in a row you're seven points. It's like sometimes in golf when just nothing happens and then you need something like that.
Yeah, it's a cool format, and I think you need a couple of eagles to make it happen, you know.
Q. You said there was something different about today. Was that something you worked out on the range or did something click this morning?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, I mean, just trying to understand exactly what shots, how to hit each shot, and like the endless thing about golf, like when you hit a draw, hit it a little bit like this or peel it a little bit like this and I think I matched everybody up a little bit better today. You get a little bit of momentum making birdies. I got a good birdie on 5 today from the rough, holed a long putt, and yeah, you just need something going. It was a good day overall.
Q. What does a round like this do for confidence?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, it's good. Played some better golf the last two weeks now. Had a little bad stretch before that. You know, you just keep -- you've got to keep at it and keep working even when it's tough. You've got to just put in the hours on the greens and chipping and everything and kind of not let anything slide. I'm proud of myself for not doing that when it's a bad stretch of a month of probably lots of great golf and it was a decent Scottish Open from a lot of aspects but maybe not a great result.
Yeah, just trying to get back there, you know.
Q. When was it that you decided to come here, that you booked a flight to --
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, I booked a flight Tuesday morning. It took so long because I was first reserve from Thursday even to Wednesday, so nothing happened for over a -- just like a week. I didn't think anybody would withdraw. They actually did, and sad for them, but also I wanted to play this. I wanted to get some more points. I've got three weeks of training after this before the Playoffs, and I wanted to play this week, and maybe that mindset made me have a little less patience that I needed this time.
Golf is a long career, and I've played a lot of British Opens, and I'll get to play it again.
Q. You mentioned there were mixed emotions yesterday; what were those emotions?
ALEX NOREN: It's just weird. Like I said, when I was at St Andrews, it's an unbelievable week. It was almost easier if I never would have been first reserve because I had this planned and I love this event and I wanted to play Scottish here and then have three weeks off before the Playoffs. Yeah, it was a weird day, just knowing that I could be at St Andrews and then I got to play some good golf here just to make the cut.
Q. What time did you arrive here?
ALEX NOREN: I got here late, very late, like midnight into Sacramento. It was a tough -- but it's fine. Going west like this is not that bad. It's worse going back east.
Q. What time did you wake up Wednesday?
ALEX NOREN: Well, I didn't get my rental car in time, I didn't get my clubs in time, so I had to stay there until like 10:00 ish and then I went up here, changed my pro-am time and got a little later pro-am time. But it was a good day after all. I got to see the course and see the greens and the difference between Scotland and here. But it helps when you've played this course before. I played it three years ago, so it's fine.
Q. How many practice rounds did you play at St Andrews?
ALEX NOREN: Just nine holes.
Q. With anyone?
ALEX NOREN: No, early before my flight on Tuesday.
Q. You arrived there Monday?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, yeah.
Q. Is there anything different in your warmup on Wednesday that you had to focus on once you got here with the altitude?
ALEX NOREN: It helps living in America now. Like you get these conditions pretty much every week. It's more like -- it's not that tough going from surfaces. It's probably easier going to faster greens like this than the other way around. But you need a day, preferably two or three, but a day is fine. If you go like straight and don't get a practice round, don't get to practice putting at all, it's pretty tough, but one day is fine.
Q. What's your home course here in America?
ALEX NOREN: Bear's Club in Florida.
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