Q. Trace, you obviously got off to a great start today. Were there a couple key moments early in the round where you knew you were going to have it going?
TRACE CROWE: Yeah. I mean, I was struggling putting yesterday, and to knock it on the first hole and knock it to six inches and tap that in and get some momentum going, yeah. Then going on to 2, I hit a nice iron shot in there, had like a five- or six-footer and holed that. Was a little tricky left-to-righter. I didn't make a single putt yesterday, so holing a nice little five- or six-footer on the second hole, it felt -- I felt like we were going to just keep doing that, really.
Q. Did you do any particular work after yesterday's round or this morning, something that may have provided you any indication that this might be coming?
TRACE CROWE: Actually, yeah. I realized my ball position in my putting was too far forward, and I've been putting pretty poorly the last couple weeks. Been hitting it great. Just focused on that this morning, as well. Just started putting it great today. Hopefully we can keep that going.
Q. For the technical geeks among us, how did you figure out what to change in putting?
TRACE CROWE: One of my buddies was here, Jonathan Bowden, he was here out watching, and he noticed it yesterday out there that it was a little too far forward and I kept missing some putts left. We hit a few yesterday after the round, and he spotted it out and gave me a couple drills just to check it before today. Hit about 50 putts with it this morning, and it felt great out there all day today.
Q. You've played in 16 events, something like that, but this is by four shots your best --
TRACE CROWE: Yeah, this year, yeah.
Q. Would you have come in here and have guessed you'd have your career-low round today?
TRACE CROWE: That's a good question. I've been hitting it great the last few weeks, so I just knew if I just had one good hot putting day, this could happen. I'm really happy with my round, but I also missed some putts coming in the last five or six holes.
But I made so many long putts, just round momentum to keep that going. It was good.
Q. Where you are on the leaderboard, still a bunch of guys out there, but do you think you've given yourself a chance now to be in contention by the time Sunday comes?
TRACE CROWE: Yeah, 100 percent. I thought one of those 7- or 8-unders or 6-unders from yesterday would go a little bit lower this morning, and now with the wind coming and some possible weather, yeah, just got to go out and keep doing what I'm doing the next couple days. Keep hitting the way I am, hopefully make some putts, keep making some putts.
Q. You have friends and family here?
TRACE CROWE: Yeah, this South Carolina support has been crazy, especially playing with George, the Bryan brothers. Yeah, my family is here, my dad. My dad hasn't seen me play since the Wells Fargo last year. He saw me at final stage get my card, but he came down on the 18th green because he can't really walk. He's handicapped. So it's awesome having him here. My sister, yeah, we've got a bunch of family.
Q. You're in a sense a beneficiary of the renewed Q-school ability to qualify like that. Walk us through that journey and how it got you to where you are now.
TRACE CROWE: Yeah, so this past year on Korn Ferry I ended up barely missing my card at the last event. Didn't really have a good last couple days. Then having that opportunity to get it again at the final stage was great.
Top 5 out of a 156-man field, so you've just got to hope it's your week. I knew kind of the last nine holes it was my week. That's where we're at. Then got out here, and it's been great.
Q. What were your hopes for your rookie season coming in like that?
TRACE CROWE: Hopes are just see my game improve. I don't really set too many high expectations. I just want to compete. My goal is to win this year.
Q. Would that be a little different if you had gotten through the Korn Ferry as opposed to -- almost like the golden egg that you found at the end of the year last year.
TRACE CROWE: I don't think so. We're here now. It might have helped me to get into a couple extra events in the beginning, but now going through the rest of the summer, I'll play all the events and have the same opportunity as any other guy to have a chance at winning or competing, keeping my card and playing well.
Q. You went to the IJGA Academy down in Hilton Head?
TRACE CROWE: I didn't, I went to Hilton Head Christian Academy down there.
Q. Not a golf school?
TRACE CROWE: We had a good golf team. All our guys played Division I college golf, but it wasn't a golf -- like a teaching, one of those schools. I know what you're saying.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports