Q. Kyle, great round out there today. When you Monday qualify like you do, do you sort of come out with the same Monday qualifier mentality on a golf course like this?
KYLE WILSHIRE: I'm not sure if it's a similar mentality, but I'm in a different position than most of these guys out here. I don't have a card out here and I don't have full playing privileges.
I told people before the Monday qualifiers, ironically it's somewhat relaxing because you either play really well or you don't. It's so hard to get through. You got 120 guys, even like 170 when I got through RSM. So it's just kind of relaxed and carefree.
Out here there is a lot of great players. I mean, it's very -- shooting a low score is a huge and just putting yourself in position, but today was more one shot at a time. You're one shot away from making a bogey out here. It's fairly generous off the tee, but just tried to put myself in good positions.
I love the way the greens roll. I've been in Florida for a while and it's bermuda and then you get on some bentgrass. They've done a great job out here this week, so I'm blessed to be here and excited for the week. Good start so far.
Q. What was it about your game today that led to that good start?
KYLE WILSHIRE: I hit it fairly close on some holes but holed a few nice putts. I was pretty solid inside ten feet most of the day.
Gave back one there on my 17th, the 8th hole, but I hit a good putt; just didn't go in. I was just steady on the green. Any time I kind of got out of position I was able to get it up there around the hole. The greens are so good, you let the ball online you're going to give yourself a chance.
I hit it close on the holes where you have opportunities and was just kind of smart and played steady on the other ones.
Q. Looking at your bio, you turned pro in 2014. This is your third PGA TOUR start. What's your road sort of been between when you first turned pro and this point?
KYLE WILSHIRE: I was fortunate when I first turned pro. I guess I missed Q-School in 2014; got to second stage, then 2015 I qualified for the Mackenzie Tour. It was PGA TOUR Canada at the time.
But playing up there taught me a lot. Taught me how to compete, taught me how to travel. I was 23 years old, 22 at the time.
Getting out on the Korn Ferry, I probably didn't do the best job taking care of myself as far as being responsible. Not that I didn't work hard. It's just I played 14 weeks in a row and my body was just toast.
But it's weird, because you get going good in like week eight and you have a chance, and you kind of got to keep the pedal down.
From then I've had some injuries. I had knee surgery in 2018; 2019 I wasn't playing too well, and then 2020, I mean, the world kind of shut down.
So I had a job in 2020 in the evening times, and I just always kind of told myself that you get out what you put in, and when I was doing my job it wasn't fun, but I made the most of it and I kind of turned it into an opportunity to get better and just tried to have the right mindset.
I think that's what I have done now. Rest of my life is in order and I'm in a good spot and I'm just trying to take the advantage of the opportunities I have.
Q. What was the job in 2020?
KYLE WILSHIRE: I was actually a trash porter. My girlfriend's apartment complex was advertising a place for some help in the evening times, and COVID there was nothing really going on other than a small mini tour in Florida.
I didn't really want to be in an office job. I wanted to continue to work on my game, and this was in the evening times from 6:00 sometimes to 11:00 at night.
It wasn't the most glamourous job, but I wouldn't say it humbled me, but allowed me to work on my game. I did it for four months. It kept me in good shape and I just think it made me a little tougher. Made me just appreciate the opportunity to play.
And then now when you're out here it's just not taking things for granted. When you play on the PGA TOUR, you're driving a brand new Cadillac this week. You're eating the best food, it's the best facilities. You got club companies taking care of you. I've never had that before.
I just always hoped I'd get to this level and believed that I could. The journey has been a little bit different than a lot of people, but I'm blessed to be here.
Q. And your status right now is you still don't any status anywhere?
KYLE WILSHIRE: I don't have any status anywhere. I kind of went the foregone route for the Mackenzie Tour and Latin America Q-School, partly because I Mondayed into Bermuda and made the cut and accrued some points.
I wanted to play tournament golf this year, whatever level that was, so I kind of sacrificed those Q schools. Played a mini tour last week and finished second up in Oklahoma.
Just want to give myself a chance to come out here and play a lot of Monday qualifiers. Being through the pre's is huge, so doing that was kind of my mentality. Got through this week and I'm just trying to roll it, you know, see what happens.
The opportunity is right in front of me, so I'm excited.
Q. Now getting back on the course, looking ahead, anything from today that you want to spruce up a little bit to improve for tomorrow?
KYLE WILSHIRE: I think probably going to work on my chipping a little bit. There is a few little squirrelly lies. The zoysia is awesome to hit off of, but you got to pay attention to the grain. Some of these holes you're going to hit good shots.
On 4 I hit a great shot but went a little long and had funny lie. Didn't know if it was going to spin or not. I'm just going to tighten that up, hit a couple balls. I was very happy with the way I hit it. Very happy with the way I putted it.
But always trying to work on my short game, improve different shots, circumstances. So probably just eat some lunch, cool off a little bit, and get back at it for tomorrow afternoon.
Fastscripts by ASAP Sports...
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports