Q. How different were the conditions you faced today as opposed to yesterday?
NICOLAI HØJGAARD: Yeah, it was quite tricky out there. The bit was a bit swirly. There was a lot of times, and you're playing alternate shot so there's a consequence compared to yesterday when you can cover each other. Very pleased with how we hung in there today and grinded it out.
Q. How challenging is it to finally maintain a rhythm when you're hitting every other shot as opposed to yesterday when it's more like a typical round of golf?
RASMUS HØJGAARD: Yeah, it's difficult. I hit a lot of drives today and had a lot of putts early on, and for Nick to hit one of his first putts towards the end of the front nine, it is difficult to find the speed straight away. It's hard to say how you get into a rhythm, but we managed to give ourselves a lot of good chances and not put too much pressure on each other.
Obviously there were a few key par putts out there.
Q. 2-under with these conditions and with this kind of format, was it one of those days given everything that was going on that you just wanted to maintain your position, get yourself in position for the weekend, or do you feel there was something out there that maybe you guys weren't able to take advantage of?
NICOLAI HØJGAARD: I feel like we left a few out there today. I feel like we played well, feel like we gave ourselves a lot of chances. Didn't really take advantage of middle of the round. We had some really good chances, but we made some good pars, as well. I think that's the most thing when you're playing alternate shot is the good pars, you make, the saves are more important than the birdies to keep the momentum. I feel like we could have been on some leaderboard today, but we're in prime position going into the weekend and very happy with how we battled out there, and I think that's the most important thing.
Q. Nicolai, on 6 you walk over to the crowd, the ball is in the crowd, and you say, "I'm not the one who hit it over there." These two days, is there a little bit of that, I'm going to throw digs at him and just keep that energy?
NICOLAI HØJGAARD: I asked the crowd a little bit, everybody is okay, and they said, yeah. But I said, it's not me, just to make it a little bit fun out there. They took it well. We're going to give each other little digs. But the most important bit is to support each other in every situation. There was a few times today where we really gave each other a fist pump and also gave each other a clap on the back and said, let's go, keep your head up. You're going to make mistakes when the conditions are like it is today, but you're also going to make some birdies, and I feel like we hung in there.
Q. You hit that great shot out of there and you almost looked like you were just like, whoa, to the shot. What's your response when you see him get out of that, kind of giving each other fist bumps?
RASMUS HØJGAARD: Yeah, there was a few situations out there today where we got out of trouble. Obviously the 6th hole there he hit a great approach shot that rolled to the back edge of the green. It's not an easy two-putt from there, but we managed to hit a good putt and not put too much pressure on Nicolai. I think that's what I would take from today is we played a good round of golf, a couple of key par putts holed when we needed to, and then, yeah, go out and stay aggressive tomorrow.
Q. I feel like people probably assume that you guys just play together all the time. What is your actual overall experience playing as a team?
RASMUS HØJGAARD: We do play a lot together.
NICOLAI HØJGAARD: It's good. I think at times we've also got to be aware that we're not going to try and help each other too much, like give too many advice to each other. You think you've got to remember that it's two different careers and two different players and he's going to do what he's going to do and I'm going to do what I'm going to do, but if we're in between his advice to me and my advice to him, we trust each other a lot. So I think when we're in doubt, we always ask each other, and then we can confirm or whatever it is. I think that's the cool part about this format. But we've got to remember we've got to play our own game and stay aggressive.
Q. On 2 you had a struggle getting up the hill a little bit off the edge, and then you get to basically do the same putt essentially over again. Is there a little bit of competition of, all right, I can show you how to do it?
NICOLAI HØJGAARD: Not at all. It wasn't on my mind. My mind was I want to give him a putt and get out -- when you're in prime position in the fairway and I felt like I hit a good second shot and you walk off with a 6, that's going to kill the momentum, and it's going to be a tough bounce back after that. It was really important that we make the 5. I just think that 5 was the most important of the day, and I think that's something we're proud of.
But yeah, looking ahead to the weekend.
Q. How would you describe the differences in your actual game between the two of you?
RASMUS HØJGAARD: I think it's difficult to answer because I think we see golf the same way and hit the ball fairly similar. I mean, I don't know what the best way is to describe it, but sometimes one of us hits a certain part of the game better than the other.
But again, it kind of is a bit streaky. It's on and off. Again, I think we balanced it well today. Nicolai is a good approach player, and I rolled the putter nicely most of the round.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports