THE MODERATOR: Doug, that shot into 18 there, pretty incredible, but, first, just talk about the round and how badly did you want that eagle putt to fall on the last?
DOUG GHIM: Yeah, I mean, especially with Jeffrey cleaning up his birdie putt, it was really a free run at it. Maybe a little overly aggressive on the putt, but I wanted it.
You know, again, at the end of the day, if Jeffrey doesn't put it in position for me to know that he's probably going to make birdie, it's hard to step up and hit a 6-iron over the water like that.
At the end of the day, it was a good day.
THE MODERATOR: Jeffrey, what do you feel like you guys did well today? I mean, any time you shoot 11-under in four ball, it's a pretty good day. What do you think contributed to your guys' rise up the leaderboard?
JEFFREY KANG: I think we were both just in a lot of good spots to attack a lot of the holes. If I did get in trouble, Doug kind of put me in a good shot and saved pars. Like on nine and 17 today, those were pretty big pars on hard holes, but overall I think we were both attacking it pretty well and did a good job of just kind of making sure we birdied the right holes when the other partner doesn't.
Q. Doug, how did this partnership come about? What's your guys' friendship? How long have you been buddies?
DOUG GHIM: Yeah, I honestly didn't know Jeffrey that well until this year. We have a lot of mutual friends. When Jeffrey got on tour, like my caddie, for example, Kevin, he is very good friends with Jeffrey. Luke, who travels we me week in and week out, he is also good friends with Jeffrey.
It just felt like it was all kind of leading that way. Jeffrey kind of hit me up I think in Houston this year. I didn't have a partner yet. I was, like, You know what, yeah, that would be fun.
I don't know Jeff super well, but obviously having a lot of the same friends feels like we would get along. It's been working out great.
Q. Jeff, what was the message between you guys coming into this week? Obviously really important to get some sort of spark for the season to try to get some FedEx Cup points, but what did you guys talk about coming in to inspiring you a bit?
JEFFREY KANG: Honestly nothing really. I know Doug is going to prep for every tournament the same way that I'm going to be prepping for. I know I'm going to show up as best prepared as I can, and I know Doug will too.
We didn't talk about anything specifically different for this week because it was a team play event, but at the end of the day, you have to hit your good shots and try to pick up after your partner if you need to. I feel like that's nothing trying to do anything differently there.
Q. I remember when we talked last October, you know, finally getting to the PGA TOUR, that was a huge goal, and to finally do it after all you'd been through. Now that you're a few months into your rookie season on the PGA TOUR, how would you characterize how it's been and how you've adjusted?
JEFFREY KANG: Yeah, it feels awesome, number one. I'm learning a lot about myself and about my game. Just getting situated with everything and getting adjusted to just the different conditions and stuff like that, but overall I'm just learning a lot and improving every week. Looking forward to the rest of the season.
Q. What do you remember about your rookie year? You got here kind of quick. It's been a little bit.
DOUG GHIM: Yeah, it was a lot different back then. There was a lot more players that we don't see anymore, but at the same time, it's hard. I mean, it's supposed to be hard. I think if you look at any sport, any professional sport, the rookies usually have a hard time.
It's tough. I think your whole life you're looking forward to being on tour, and that's a huge goal. Then when you get there, it's, like, there's nowhere to hide at this point.
It is hard in the beginning. You get a lot of people that you look up to, and it's hard not to feel like maybe you don't belong in the beginning, but once you start playing and you start seeing the same faces and playing these courses over and over again, you know, you realize you're one of them and the game is the same.
I think everybody goes through it at some point, whether it's at the beginning or in the middle or the end of their career. Yeah, it's just a marathon, not a sprint.
Q. Is there anything that motivates you now that's different than maybe seven, eight years ago?
DOUG GHIM: I mean, I think, again, when you are coming out of college, getting your tour card is such a big deal, being able to look in the mirror and say, I accomplished one of my dreams. I think the longer I'm out here, the more that I dream bigger and realize all the things that I wanted to do as a kid.
When you are a kid, everyone tells you that, you know, it might be unrealistic or whatever, but at the end of the day, anybody trying to achieve winning a tournament on the tour or even being out here is unrealistic, and the fact that anybody gets their tour card is amazing, and the fact that we get an opportunity every week of the year to try and win and accomplish some of our goals.
I see a lot of my friends going doing great things and winning majors, so at the end of the day, why can't I?
Q. Is there more urgency now, though, with fewer tour cards and so much uncertainty?
JEFFREY KANG: I wouldn't say urgency, but no, it's -- obviously I'm not there yet. You just have to play good golf, and everything will take care of itself. It's just kind of managing your own game and getting better and doing the little things right and one moment you might be there. So just trying to keep that big goal in mind and just keep moving towards it.
Q. Lastly, I guess for Doug, what do you guys have to do tomorrow in foursomes to, I guess, track down the Fitzpatrick brothers and get a trophy?
DOUG GHIM: Play the holes in less strokes than they do. I guess at the end of the day I think --
Q. That's the Texas education there.
DOUG GHIM: It's hard to stay aggressive in that format, but I do think that's what we're going to have to do. It's easy to put the foot off the pedal because you don't want to put your partner in a bad spot, but if we're going to want to win and we're going to want to be there at the end, we're going to have to stay aggressive, and that's what we're going to do.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports