Q. You were grinding your way through this round starting with that bogey save on the 1st. Talk me through that hole.
HAROLD VARNER III: Well, I hit the first one out of bounds and hit the next one left, and I chipped in, so yeah, it was a grind, but I knew it was going to be that way. Just happy to finish the way I did.
Q. Talk about that walk today and posting 15-under here at the RBC Heritage.
HAROLD VARNER III: That was good. It's nice to play so well close to home, and just obviously it was super eventful, but we got it done. That's what you do. That's what you play for. That's why you practice. It's just good to see it pay off.
Q. How about the difference from the first hole to the last hole? That first hole you got a chip-in to make a bogey and then that dramatic birdie at 18.
HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, first hole, it just is what it is. I hit it out of bounds, and it doesn't really bother me. I hit it out of bounds on Saturday, too. It doesn't really faze me. Golf is a game. We're here to play it, and I really enjoy playing it.
Q. You mentioned the fans. Playing in the Carolinas, wearing your ECU purple has got to be a thrill.
HAROLD VARNER III: Oh, it's so good. I enjoy the support. I love it. I wish we were at a football game instead, but it is what it is. It's a lot of fun.
Q. This ties your best finish on TOUR. What was it that helped you get it done this week?
HAROLD VARNER III: I don't know, I felt like I've been playing well all year, just haven't really gotten through to play really well, get up there. So yeah, it was nice to just -- I don't know. I don't know what the difference was this week, but I felt like I'm trying to do the same thing every week, play well, and sometimes you play really well and sometimes you don't.
Just enjoying it. I really love playing golf. I always have, always will, whether I play out here or not. Yeah, it was good. And the birdie at the last was awesome.
Q. You told us earlier in the week that you've been telling yourself that you wanted to make some changes. What were you telling yourself in those moments?
HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, just I felt like I was getting a little lazy. It's easy to do. When I had COVID, I didn't do anything. It was kind of awesome. But you get really lazy.
Just doing the things that I know I'm supposed to do and doing them when you're supposed to, it's a different when you wait a day. So obviously I want to play well at the Wells Fargo. That's my major. I know the PGA is coming, but that's an important place to me, so I want to play well there, and I need to start now building up to get there, so super excited.
Q. In terms of what Stewart Cink has been able to do, obviously very hard to catch somebody --
HAROLD VARNER III: Tell me about it.
Q. -- that goes 16-under in the first two days. What are your thoughts on what he's been able to do, and is that inspiring for you?
HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, he's old as -- sorry. He's old and he's kicking everyone's ass. Yeah, it inspires me. It inspires me to know that I can play golf for a long time. He's been playing well all year, though, so it's not like I'm surprised, but this week he's played unbelievable, and hopefully he finishes it off.
I mean, I'm only 30, so I think I'm a little ways behind him, so I can't really -- I don't want to comment too much on it because age becomes like a big deal around here.
Q. In terms of what you're going to take from this week, specific lessons learned as you prepare for Charlotte and your major?
HAROLD VARNER III: The biggest thing that I learned, there's not much OB, but on No. 1, my first shot of the day I hit it out of bounds, and just to respond. That's what you want to do in life, when bad things happen, how do you respond, how do you adapt and just see it through. It's so important to me in life, and in golf that's the most important thing, and that's important to me, how you respond.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports