Q. 3-under today on that golf course, much tougher test than the last two. How would you compare the difficulty at the Stadium compared to the other two courses?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Yeah, the other two golf courses you have a lot of wedges in, you're attacking, the greens are a little more receptive and perfect, like the Stadium golf course, but you've got to hit quality golf shots into the Stadium Course, and I was able to do that, I just wasn't able to convert on the birdie putts today like I did the first two rounds. Felt like I hit some good putts, but -- it's a golf course when you get in position you can make some birdies, but when you get out of position you're sort of holding on a little bit. The balls that were out of position, I was able to get in the center of the green, gave myself chances, and I attacked on the ones that I was in the fairway. Clean card, 69 around this place, if you told me that last night I probably would have taken it.
Q. I think the stroke average on the Stadium is about two shots harder than it has been in previous years. Do you feel like that's all firmness on the greens, or do you feel like there's other parts that have contributed to that?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Definitely firmness. I think the biggest change is 16, the left-hand side, obviously we have seen some catastrophes there, balls rolling off. The rest of them are a little bit bigger, with a little bit more roll-offs and a little more undulations on the greens. But for me there's little slopes in there that were never there before that I was having a hard time seeing and reading, but through time and the greens will settle, and you'll start getting good reads. The firmness definitely affects the shots coming in.
Q. ShotLink stats showed approach play strong, has that been a key throughout the week that that has been dialed in?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Correct, the strokes gained, if they had the other two golf courses, I was hitting it pretty close the last few days, and today was a little bit more of the same, just the putts happened not to drop, but I gave myself good opportunities.
Q. Wondering, middle of last year and kind of middle summer through the fall you were playing a lot of consistent golf, starting strong again this year, is there anything in particular dating all the way back to then, kind of mid last year, even to Phoenix last year, that has helped you get this second wave?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Getting a little more healthy. I would say the middle of last year I started feeling really healthy, and I was able to start practicing a lot and just, you can't compete against these guys without practicing and honing your game. There was a few years there where I was just trying to get starts under my belt because I couldn't practice, and you just can't compete. Now I'm able to practice, put the time in, and I'm seeing the benefits.
Q. Where do you see that specifically in your game?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: I think the iron play and driver for me that's always been my strength on TOUR, if I drive it and iron play it, I always have more opportunities. I've always been, I would say, an average putter, if the putter gets warm I usually contend, and it's starting to heat up this week.
Q. Solid on the golf course today. Take us through the round you, had a couple looks at 1 and 2, couldn't make those putts, and birdies at 7 and 8, great putt at 16, how did you think you played?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Yeah, I played great. I wish I would have drove it slightly better, but the good thing around this golf course it's not a premium of hitting it perfect. But my shots into the green I would say were very above average gave myself a lot of good looks today. Felt like I hit a lot of good putts early that didn't go in, sort of misread, didn't have the speed right. The greens are really firm and you think they're going to be fast, but they're actually very consistent with speed along with the other two golf courses, but the firmness at Stadium were much firmer, but they weren't any faster, so I didn't get my head sort of around it until the back nine, and then I was able to make a couple putts coming in, and then obviously a clean card on the Stadium Course is something to be proud of.
Q. Driver off the deck at 16 from the rough, you had maybe 318, that was a heck of a shot.
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: You know what, that greens's redone, it's a little scary, so obviously I wanted to get up there where I could have a chip and control my ball. Had a good lie, bit of an up slope, I felt confident with the shot. I felt like I needed to make some birdies, obviously this is a tournament it's a shoot-out, so laying back at that point in time I didn't think was necessary, and I gave myself a good shot and I was able to make a birdie.
Q. When you won here in 2007 you played five rounds of golf and you got into a playoff and you end up beating Jon Rahm. Both you guys were 17-under par through five rounds. Have you even thought about how the scoring has just changed so much, I mean, you're 19-under through three rounds?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Well, that year I vividly remember it was cold and windy, and The Classic Club was known to get some wind. But I remember playing Bermuda Dunes, it might have been my first round, the greens were pretty much frozen when I was playing. I don't know if they knew what frost delays were back then. So the conditions were much different, this is more typical desert weather here in La Quinta, and guys are taking advantage of it.
Q. Key for you to close this thing out tomorrow?
CHARLEY HOFFMAN: Shoot the lowest number, that's going to be the key. No, I'm going to have to make some putts. I'm hitting it great, so take advantage of the opportunities that I have and hopefully it's the lowest number coming in.
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