Q. What was the biggest difference from yesterday to today?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Well, the putter for one. I started making everything. That was definitely nice. Definitely hit some nice approach shots, as well. I think I had three or four tap-ins for birdie. Three of them were early on, so that was nice.
My misses are getting a little bit tighter, so that's nice. But it still doesn't quite feel where it's supposed to be, but it's still nice to see when things are a little bit off, I can still go out here and shoot a really good score.
Q. How far have you come from where you felt like you're far off -- those small little things that maybe were big things maybe a month or so ago?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, the most important thing, I feel like things are headed in the right direction. At least now I can hit some shots where, okay, that's the old stuff, that's looking like -- that looks like and feels like what it used to. So that's very positive.
Then other shots I revert back to some old habits. It's just kind of continuing to work on the things that I'm working on, and hopefully I'll see more of the good swings again.
Q. You said before this week this is a course that you really like. What have you seen from it so far?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, no real surprises this week. It's in really good shape. Still the same golf course. I still like it. It's just one of those places where yesterday I was off and didn't make any putts, and I'm struggling just to shoot even par. But when you're starting to hit a decent amount of fairways, you can hit some greens, you make a few putts, you can shoot really low. I think it's just a great golf course that separates the field really well.
Q. Is there something about these Playoffs that gives you some extra confidence?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: I don't think so, but maybe there is something to having your back up against the wall and having to perform. I feel like it kind of gives you a little bit of that sense of urgency of having to perform. Maybe I just squeeze a little bit more out of what I've normally got.
Q. Coming into today, outside the top 50. Did you feel like you had to play more aggressive after an off-day yesterday?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Not really. It's still the same game plan. I just happened to get off to a nice start and kind of ride the momentum from there.
Q. The synergy is happening again. Do you feel like there's something there? You've come in, started not as well as you would have liked, but now you're on the run. You did this exactly last year. Can you make a push from here?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: I'd like to think so, obviously, but I don't think this situation is exactly the same as last year, even though it looks like it. But where my golf swing kind of feels like, I still know some of those misses are in there and I can feel them. It's not as close as it was last year after I had that range session and felt like things were clicking, and then obviously getting off to a nice start the next day, just kind of rode that momentum.
This year we still have a little bit of extra work to do. I felt like I had to lean on my putter maybe a little bit too much today. But I do feel like the game is becoming more and more consistent. I can kind of step up and hit the fairway, hit the green multiple holes in a row, and when you get into a rhythm like that, it becomes easier to play golf. Hopefully we can just keep going on that.
Q. Are you having fun again yet?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: That was a lot more fun. Yeah, eight birdies and a 63, that makes it a lot more fun.
Q. You just mentioned a bit more work to do. We saw you out there Monday afternoon maybe a bit earlier than expected. How are you balancing that with the heat and going through this week? What are you looking for?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it's hard work being out here. I think I was in bed by 7:00 last night. Had a good night's sleep even though it was an early morning tee time this morning. It's important to just be out here, get your work done, and then just go inside and rest up.
I've been utilizing the cold plunges out here, as well. Just trying to recover as much as possible, but obviously keep working and trying to get better for the rest of the week.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports