Q. How did it feel to be back out on the golf course after the last few days?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: It would have felt better if I got off to a better start, but I tried to give myself a little bit of grace there, but I got pretty frustrated towards the middle of the round because I was playing good, felt like I was hitting good putts, and my speed was maybe a touch off. I was out on some of my reads.
I shanked the bunker shot on 3. I shank it a decent amount, but never in competition, so I could -- I tried to kind of give myself a little bit of grace there. It clearly was just a mental lapse and I wasn't quite into it yet. Tried to give myself a little bit of time.
I had a much better back nine. Hit a lot of really good shots. Hit some nice putts, too.
Looking forward to the rest of the week.
Q. Did everything leading up to this first round when you made that turn, got into the back nine, did you settle down a little bit?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think I was maybe too settled down to start the day. I wasn't quite into the competition. I think maybe it was a bit of fatigue, whatever it was. But I felt like I was still kind of getting adjusted to the golf course.
It was really soft out there. Got a couple balls with some mud on them. Just little stuff that kind of happens throughout the tournament that I wasn't used to, going from -- I'm used to a bit more prep work if that makes sense. On the greens I felt like I maybe was just over-reading some of my putts, seeing too much break coming from greens like last week where they're so fast and there's so much break. It's a little bit unusual coming to a golf course like this where it's a different type of grass and they're much flatter and then you've got to play grain.
I didn't get my normal amount of work in that I typically would on the greens.
Q. As you mentioned yesterday, you didn't see the entire course going into today. What about today makes you feel like you're primed for a run tomorrow?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Well, I think I'm still hitting it really nice. We got some nice reads there on the back nine, and the ball started coming off my blade really well, which was a good feeling.
I played this golf tournament last year. I'd say right now it's a bit softer than how I remember it last year, but I went out early on Thursday, so I'm sure it'll firm up over the next few days.
Q. As we wrap up the day and head into round 2, how are you feeling mentally?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I'm doing good. I think today was good to get out of the way. I think getting into the heat of another tournament is good for me mentally. I'll have a nice long break before I tee off tomorrow, so I'm going to go probably hit a few more putts, get a little bit more used to the speed of the greens and then go put my feet up the rest of the day.
Q. When you're emotionally spent, which I assume you are from last week and all, does your patience get thin, frustration high, or are they connected? Feels like they are.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say I feel like they would be connected. I could tell today. That's why I tried to give myself an extra little bit of grace, I would say, on the course today just because yeah, emotionally a little bit drained. Mentally definitely a bit drained.
I think it's -- I feel like I had more energy now than I did at the beginning of the day waking up to go play golf, if that makes sense. I think getting into the tournament, hitting some shots, getting a bit frustrated, getting a bit excited about my finish there, all good emotions to feel. It's nice to be kind of back into tournament mode.
Q. Is it hard to grind when you need to, going back to the fatigue type stuff?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Maybe a little bit, but I think sometimes that frustration from not playing my best I think kind of helps me focus sometimes. You can use that as good energy and you can use that as bad energy, so I tried to use it as best I could for the good stuff today.
Q. Which shot were you proudest of today, outside of the shank?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, my next bunker shot where I actually hit the middle of the face.
No, I think most proud of, like -- I think it was No. 11, the par putt off the fringe. I think that was hole 11.
Q. That was the mud ball hole.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: That was the mud ball hole. That's a hard tee ball for me. I hit a great tee shot right up the middle of the fairway. Especially after missing a short birdie look there on 10, and then I get up there and there's mud on my ball, and it's like, this is annoying. The areas out here are so small to hit into, and it felt like I hit a pretty good shot and it's drifting left, and you can't really miss left there, and instead of landing in the bunker, it lands on the slope and the slope shoots it 30 feet into the bunker instead of being right there on the edge where I could maybe get it up-and-down. I was obviously frustrated with that type of break, and then to get up there and knock the putt in was a nice feeling. Used it as some good momentum for the closing stretch.
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