Q. Did you beat Harry when you guys played at that Walker Cup?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Oh, man, I don't remember. I think it was like a one and one because we didn't play singles -- I don't think we played against each other in singles. But we played -- I think he beat us once and then we beat them.
Q. Can you describe how your mindset has changed since -- it's sounded like at 3M you made a mindset change about this year, how you're thinking now and looking at things versus a few weeks ago?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I haven't done a great job. I've been looking at a lot of numbers that I don't need to look at, obviously FedExCup, world ranking, and I'm still doing it, and I still catch myself doing it.
But I'm just really trying to have a little more peace on the golf course. I think this game can consume your life, your happiness, and so I'm just trying to figure out ways to change that because I feel like I don't really want to live my life based off of an unstable game. That's going to drive me nuts. This whole year it has, so I'm just trying to be just a little more at ease with whatever I shoot.
Q. Are there things you have found that have worked the last few weeks?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah. I think certain days are easier than others, but again, it's still very hard. I felt like at 3M I did a nice job for three days and then Sunday was -- I sat in my hotel room furious. It's hard because I want to perform the way I know I can, and this year again hasn't been the easiest. But I'm just trying to enjoy what I have and be grateful for what I get to do for a living.
Q. What tends to work if you do find some peace?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I mean, I just feel, like, calm. Essentially like today I felt pretty relaxed, and I'm not trying to -- I'm just not trying to force anything. I'm not trying to -- it's okay to get mad at golf shots but not at yourself, not self-deprecate yourself, which I tend to do.
Q. Harry made mention that you tend to play well in his presence.
AKSHAY BHATIA: I guess.
Q. Why is that?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I don't know. We're good friends. We played Zurich Classic together and then I think he's one of the greatest putters out here, so I like to try and maybe make a couple more putts than him.
Q. What do you think was working today? Shooting 62, obviously you said you felt comfortable, but what did you do best today?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I felt like I wasn't in the rough too much. I hit it in a couple fairway bunkers, which is okay out here. It's easier to control the golf ball.
I felt like I wasn't putting great throughout the day, but then those last couple putts managed to drop. All in all, I felt like iron play was nice. I just need to kind of clean up a couple things, like a couple wedge shots, and get a little more comfortable with the putter, but all in all, I felt like I was driving it nice.
Q. You haven't really had a bad round since you've been coming here. What is it about this course that allows you to play well and have a day like you had today?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I think it's a ball striker's golf course. I think statistically guys who have won here in the past, it's about ball striking off the tee. I think that's something that is suited to my game.
I think, too, some of these holes suit my eye. There's maybe one or two holes that don't. But I feel like I can just kind of play my game and there's not too many uncomfortable shots out there for me.
Q. Anything technique-wise you've worked on that's helped you play better recently?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Well, it's been the same thing for, I feel like, the last three, four years. My tendency is to get across the line, and then the way I rotate, I can't control the face as much as I'd like. It's always trying to get it more laid off.
Then my driver cracked at Augusta this year, and so I struggled for probably a two-month period to find a head that I liked, and Callaway with a lot of heads, spent a lot of time with me, and now I'm starting to feel like I can hit a lot of my shots again.
I've added a couple tee shot options at The Open that's kind of helped this last couple stretches.
Q. Stingers or --
AKSHAY BHATIA: No, just trying to curve it -- having an option to curve it less, and then we're working on a shot this week that Cameron Young hits where he tees it super low and just feels like he can swing normal, so that was a shot I was trying this week as well but that's about it.
Q. What are you going to do the rest of the day?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Just relax.
Q. Find peace?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, just try and relax with my fiance and watch some YouTube. That's kind of my life.
Q. You've been a pro for six years now. Not as long as a lot of guys on TOUR. Do you remember the last time you paid for a round of golf?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I paid for a round of golf maybe last year. I was with my fiance's brothers and they charged me 20 bucks for a cart fee. It was fine.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports