Q. Adam, you're going to East Lake; congratulations.
ADAM SCHENK: Thank you very much.
Q. How does it feel to know you're one of the top 30 on the PGA TOUR this year and headed to the TOUR Championship?
ADAM SCHENK: It's a pretty amazing feeling. Kind of can't believe it happened. Played great golf all year. Was very fortunate on some of my solo seconds that could have been several-way ties.
Just grateful. Just as easily I could have had a great year and finished 35th. Just so happened it ended up being 23rd. I would have loved to have played a little better this week, but a little sour taste in my mouth leaving over the weekend, but excited to get to East Lake and prepare for the course and try to make a run, a big run.
Q. Your game this year, where did you take the most significant step?
ADAM SCHENK: That's a good question. Just learning how to get off the tee a little better, especially when I'm uncomfortable, putting just a little bit better, just general smartness all around the golf course. Just a lot of course management stuff. Nothing too different in the game golf honestly. A little bit of luck.
Q. When you think about the evolution of you as a player from when you got out here, have your season-long goals changed at all from what you were looking to do as a rookie your first couple years to when you go into a season now?
ADAM SCHENK: Definitely a little bit. I would have just been tickled to keep my card the first year out, and I did not. Just learned so much over the last six years. I can't believe this is going to be the end of year six already.
But just the little things that you learn. You don't necessarily get that much better at golf, you just kind of get smarter. A little bit better in all areas you hope. But it seems that you have a lot of parts of your golf game working well together, and when they all come together, that's when you play well and you just piece it together week to week. Some weeks it comes together and it's great, and the next week could be the exact opposite, so it's a fickle game. It's just learning the ups and downs are going to happen I think is a big part of growing and getting better at golf.
Q. In terms of the goals, obviously winning is always up there, but when you make your goals for the year, where does East Lake rank?
ADAM SCHENK: It's got to be -- I'd love to win. Didn't do that this year. But making East Lake has to be one or two. If you make East Lake you've played a really solid season of golf, and for me fortunately playing well last week with four times the points was really just fortunate. I could have finished -- sixth at Wyndham, which actually is impossible because I don't know how people play that golf course.
But was very grateful to have a great finish last week, which more in a sense made me take that step to the TOUR Championship. This week not so much, but still a great golf course. I played hard this week. Just didn't have it.
Q. I don't know if you look at projections at all, but it's kind of funny because I was going to talk to you about East Lake earlier in the week but Data Golf had you at 99.9 percent. Were you aware of that at all?
ADAM SCHENK: I was, yeah. I was. I'm sure it was statistically possible, but I looked at it, and I'm like, there's ways that you could get routed out. So I wanted to play well enough this week where it was statistically not possible, and I don't know if I did that. Probably came close.
But I played hard, so Brett and I did the best we could. I just didn't make enough putts this week.
Q. I remember earlier in the year playing I think eight or nine events in a row while Courtney was pregnant. You've got the baby now. Just reflecting on this year, how rewarding is it to know that all that hard work has paid off?
ADAM SCHENK: Very rewarding. Very, very rewarding. Gosh, it's been a long year. I think I played 32 events so far, so 32, next week is 33, so kind of burned the candle at both ends. Played a little bit less lately, but still, being at East Lake, being exempt next year and the year after on TOUR, it's kind of like winning, I guess.
I would love to play better in the majors next year. That's going to be a major goal of mine. I played really bad this year. It bothers me a little bit. That'll definitely be a goal for next year.
Q. To know you'll be playing in the Masters, too, what does that --
ADAM SCHENK: Pretty cool. I haven't honestly thought about it a ton, but it's going to happen, I guess, so it's pretty cool.
Q. I know you've said before kind of you describe yourself as a grinder out here. Do you still feel that way?
ADAM SCHENK: Oh, yeah, yeah. Not saying mean things about myself, but there's just a lot of people out here that are just physically better at golf than me, and I have to try and outsmart them, gain any little advantage I can and give up nothing to the field, and that's the way I have to play golf. And make putts. If I do that, great. If I make putts, I'm going to have a chance. If I don't make putts, I just don't have a chance. Kind of like this week, I didn't make any putts, didn't have my best stuff, and I finished 35th in a 50-man field. A little disappointing.
Q. What's the plan tonight, driving home?
ADAM SCHENK: We're going to drive back to Vincennes, Indiana, go see our puppy, Bunker. Can't wait to see my son A.J. Take a picture with the wife here for a second here in front of some clock, and then we'll be on our way.
Q. Flying to East Lake tomorrow?
ADAM SCHENK: Flying to East Lake tomorrow late afternoon.
Q. Not driving, flying?
ADAM SCHENK: Flying.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports