Q. Where does that one rank among all the good ones? How would you describe that?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, that was one of the best rounds I've played, for sure. I just got it -- mentally it was the biggest thing. I felt like I did an unbelievable job of just staying, keeping my eyes forward, keeping my blinders on, not looking backwards, forwards, anything like that. It was just, How can I put this ball in the fairway off the tee, and then how can I make birdie, and let's rinse and repeat. I putted the ball beautifully, too. Just one of those days. I feel like I haven't done a great job of that this year, of when I get it going, keeping it going. I started to get a little defensive, it's not me. It's just funny, Rev and I talked about this week of, when I do get it going, just keep it going. Don't be bashful. I'm obviously playing really well, otherwise I wouldn't be that many under par. That's what I did today.
Q. What was the pep talk like last night?
JUSTIN THOMAS: With who? I had a lot of people.
No, I was more -- I really wasn't overly -- I was not worried or upset. I was obviously upset about my score. The score sucked. It was absolutely terrible in every way, shape, or form. But it was a fluke. It was the worst driving and iron play I've had, I think, probably in a round in my career. In a year that I've been playing some pretty good golf, I would say throwing that out, it's an understatement.
But I was way more frustrated and upset with how I was mentally. I felt like my course management was not -- I very clearly was not hitting it well, and I did such an unbelievable job through seven holes of plotting my way around. I was 2-under and I'd hit one green through seven holes. And then 17 I made the wrong decision. And then made the wrong decision off the tee on 18. That's the kind of stuff that pisses me off.
If I manage everything well, even as bad as I hit it, I still feel like I could have got it around around par. I very easily could have -- if I didn't chip and putt well yesterday I would have shot an 85. I got up-and-down nine or ten times. It was wild.
It was just a lot of -- Jill just listened for a long time last night. She was great. Just keeping me positive and keeping me looking forward and reminding me, I'm playing a lot of good golf, but just the hardest part was just getting in that mindset once we started today.
Q. What changed for you from 78 yesterday to 62 now? You talked about the mindset. What was the mindset change for you?
JUSTIN THOMAS: It was just staying present, just focus on what I'm doing, not focusing on what could be, where the ball could go, anything. Just step up on 1 tee and I'm trying to hit the fairway. How am I going to hit the fairway and just execute that. Just do it. So on and so forth.
In my opinion, it's one of the hardest things to do. I think it's arguably Scottie's best attribute is how well he's able to stay present and stay in the moment. It's just as much of a skill as it is being able to hit a wedge a certain distance or control your distance.
I hadn't done it that well in a round in a really long time, so I'm probably more proud of that than I am of the score today.
Q. Can you take us through the first two shots on 18 and was the course record on your mind?
JUSTIN THOMAS: It wasn't. I thought it was 62. I didn't know. I just wanted to make another birdie, and then once I missed the fairway, birdie is kind of out of the question and then I was trying to hit something short of the green there and the rough grabbed the face enough to have it shoot out straight left, and with the momentum of that ball, it's obviously going in the water.
But I very easily could have hit it where I wanted to, hit a really good pitch or chip and a really good putt and not gone in and made the same score. I'm in no way, shape or form letting that dwell on the great round I had today.
Q. Did you know who had the course record before I tied it today?
JUSTIN THOMAS: I forgot about it until I saw up on the screen I think on 17, Tom Hoge and I hugging, and I was like, wow, I forgot, he shoot 62 when I played with him. I did remember that after that.
Q. You made 10 birdies in 2015 year and you one-upped that today. Do you remember anything about that round or what was going well that day?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, it was my rookie year on Saturday. I remember making a sweet birdie on 18. I hit just a full 7-iron to like a back right pin in there to four or five feet and made it for birdie.
The course was quite a bit more challenging in May than it plays in March, and it was kind of cool to put my name up there. I think I shot 65, and I ended up being in the second to last group with Sergio. My rookie year, that was the biggest stage I had played in. That was a huge, huge day and learning experience for me.
I've had some really good rounds out here and gone really low now a handful of times, I think.
I know how to do it, it's just sometimes doing it.
Q. What's it like playing in windy conditions here?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, I'm just happy to be playing, dude. I got to excited early in the week when I saw that because I love playing in those conditions. I just think you've got to be creative, and it's just tough. But I was far from thinking about that yesterday or last night.
But I don't know. This course is just so unique, and I've always liked it. I've always loved it since I first played it because I just think that -- you look at guys' scorecards, the volatility -- obviously my last two days it's not that much, but I think like Jordan's front nine yesterday, like obviously Jordan, he does that from time to time, but that's not normal. You can make so many birdies, and four par-5s, chances to make eagles, but you can make a double so fast out here if you get it out of position or just don't hit the ball where you should.
When the wind comes out, it just amplifies it.
Q. Have you had a comparable swing two days one to the other like you've had the last two days, 16 shots?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Not in -- no. I've had a couple at The Open the other way. I think I've had a couple like 67-80s or something like that. This one is a lot cooler.
Q. You talked about moving on from yesterday. Is there ever a challenge in moving on from a great day like today?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, but I like this challenge a lot more than the challenge from yesterday. It is, I'm obviously excited. I'm thrilled. Making the cut is a really, really big deal. You don't have a chance to win the tournament unless you do.
Obviously I'm thrilled and I'll take as much of this as I possibly can, but yeah, once I tee up tomorrow, the Coach Saban effect, 24-hours, enjoy it, and I've got a tee time tomorrow. That's all I care about, and I'm just going to try to get back after it.
Q. What are you going to say to Colt Knost?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Oh, I can't wait. He's reminded me so many times that we share that record. Not anymore, so he can shut up now.
Q. You had a couple of late birdies yesterday. Obviously could have been worse. Did that help you at all?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Definitely.
Q. I know obviously it didn't in terms of making the cut, but your mindset at all?
JUSTIN THOMAS: I mean, it did. It was weird. It's like, you get so far back, and stuff is going so wrong. You always care, obviously, but you get to a point sometimes where it's like you don't -- you know what I mean? It's like, What, am I going to make another bogey? I'm doing that already.
There was something to that, of just playing those last two holes where it's like, again, I cared, but like I didn't care. It just was like, Let's almost get this over with, that kind of thing. There's something to be said from that, of playing without the thought or concern of an outcome and just playing. I should have a lot of faith in my game because I can do stuff like today. So worrying about what can happen, there's no need for that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports