Q. What was the difference between today's round? I know yesterday you were frustrated.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I was six shots better today.
Q. Didn't hit it in the water on 15. I guess that helps.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, not hitting it in the water. Hitting 9-iron into 15's a lot easier than hitting 5-iron into the wind, for sure. Yeah, so didn't hit it in the water on 15.
So that's a perfect example. I was six shots better, I didn't hit it in the water on 15, and I had three less three-putts, so there you go.
Q. You feel better about where you are now, though, obviously?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would like to be in the lead. I was actually closer to the lead after yesterday's round. That's how weird this format is. But, no, I played good golf today. I just need to do more of that the next two days.
Q. What was the thought process on going through the trees on 18 there? You hit like one branch at the end there?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I was a bit frustrated. I felt like I only hit a couple tee shots offline today and like No. 5 was one of 'em where it kicks backwards and right further into the trees.
Then 6, I got a wicked kick off the rough there and it sent it way deep in the trees there.
The only other really fairway I missed was like 10, lands in the right rough, kicks further right, I got to punch out. It seemed like every time I hit it a little bit offline I was punching out.
So 17, hit a great drive and I have no shot of getting it to the green. So just little stuff like that was kind of frustrating. Then at the end there, I hit a really good punch shot. That was another tee shot that I didn't hit the way I wanted to, and it hit those trees and went way further left, put me pretty deep in there. Still got out of there with a 5. But, yeah, just a bit frustrated because I hit a really good punch shot and just caught one leaf and it sent it straight left into the rough. I was just glad to get out of there with a 5.
Q. Jon Rahm was here saying that he's a little aggravated that all they want to talk about is the money at this particular event because it's so exaggerated. When you're on the course at this event, do you ever think about it? Does it ever dawn on you the difference between first and fifth is however much?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Well, I don't know how much it is.
Q. So it doesn't dawn on you?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I mean, no. I'm very grateful to play golf for money, but that's not my motivation. It's as simple as that.
Q. Do you know how much money you won when you won the Masters last year?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: He's got my bank book. I don't know. Just kidding.
Q. I'm going to leave kind of money out of it. But is the pressure -- when it's like this and there's a lot of people in the mix, is the pressure Sunday when you're in it any different than other tournaments you play given the end of the year, given the trophy everyone talks about or is it about the same?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I mean, yeah, given it's the season-long race, even though it doesn't necessarily play like that, you definitely -- this one is a little bit more important than the rest of the tournaments because it is the season-long race. But like I said, it's not really the season-long race.
But, yeah, it definitely holds something a little bit more special than the regular tournaments. When you're coming down the stretch, I really don't like losing, so there's always a good amount of pressure.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports