Q. How would you characterize that round today?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I feel like we both got off to good starts today. Felt like I got a little cold there on the back nine, but overall I think a solid start to the week.
Q. Is there any way to prepare for conditions like this or do you just try to conserve energy?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Conserve energy. This is fairly similar to the stuff we've got going on at home right now, so I tried to get a little bit adjusted to the temperature last week when we were in Dallas, but sometimes it can be tough to prepare for this kind of heat.
Q. It's hard enough to play great golf for a week. What are you most proud of in being able to sustain a level of golf throughout this season as opposed to getting tired in the spring and summer?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I feel like my endurance is something that I've been working on. Finding ways to manage my way through the season mentally, as well, I think that can be a big part of the grind, and this year I feel like I've taken it easier on myself than I have in the last few years mentally, so that's helped as the year has gone on.
Q. What do you think about your playing partner?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: No comment.
Q. Did you practice much last week?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I practiced a few days. I played twice and practiced once.
Q. Did you walk or ride?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: What do you think?
Q. I assume you were riding --
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I ride.
Q. When you guys are standing on the range at 12:00 and it's 150 degrees, what's your thinking for the next four hours?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Today? I was just thankful we were playing twosomes this week, so that was nice.
Q. What do you like best about Xander's game?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think he's really consistent. He's a guy that he's never really out of a hole. Sometimes throughout the course of a round you feel like he's going to make a mistake and he bounces back really quickly, and he's also a tremendously hard worker, so you like seeing guys like that have success.
Q. Is it tough to tap into that extra level of competitiveness knowing you have Xander right there going swing for swing with you?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: It's fun just being out here competing. I find it a little weird you guys are asking me questions about him and he's literally right there (laughing). But it's a lot of fun. It's fun being out here competing. It's fun competing with your friends, but we want to beat up on each other, so it's a lot of fun playing with the best players and competing.
Q. How do you think your game fits this course here? I know it's a challenging course.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Well, I think you've got to hit quality shots out here. I feel like at times today I did a good job of that. Really the golf course can open up for you if you are hitting fairways and hitting greens. Just trying to do as much of that as I can.
Q. What was so frustrating about the bunker shot? Was it the sand or the shot you hit?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: The one on 13? It was a pretty easy shot. I hit just a horrible shot. It was kind of a lack-of-focus type of moment. Yeah, I felt like I did a good job getting myself into position where I could make what I thought was going to be an easy par, and then I just hit an awful shot, cost myself one there.
Q. Is there a difference in competing and preparing for one event as opposed to preparing for three events, these Playoffs being back-to-back-to-back?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Well, you've got to conserve a bit of energy. It's going to be challenging. You've got a hot week this week and then you go up to elevation next week and then a hot week again in Atlanta. Conserve your energy and make sure you're ready to go at East Lake.
Q. Will Ted read any more putts after Paris?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, it's something that -- in Paris I just wasn't seeing the break very well for a few days. I felt like I was hitting good putts and they weren't going in. Today there was a couple that I was confused on early that he stepped in and helped me, but the rest of the day he didn't look at too many putts.
Q. I know you're out there competing, but did the atmosphere at 14 look any different for you?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Gosh, no. I'm not really sure. I feel like what was behind the green looked the same, and so we usually were kind of finding targets in there, so a lot of that looked pretty similar, so I didn't notice any big changes.
Q. Something like seven birdies for you on the front, just a couple on the back. How much of that was the heat, how much was the course or the way you were playing?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think it always comes down to how we're playing. I felt like on the front nine we were giving ourselves a lot of opportunities and taking advantage of them. The back nine I felt like we just weren't giving ourselves as many opportunities is really just all it is.
Q. Did you know this is the two-year anniversary of your last missed cut?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: No, but thank you for the reminder.
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