Q. Michael, what a start, 64. You've got to be pleased with your round, if we can get some comments.
MICHAEL BRENNAN: I played very solid today, kept the ball in play off the tee for the most part, which you need to out here. Hit some really nice irons early in the round, set up some convertible birdies, and I made them. Got off to a really hot start.
2 set me back a little bit. That was a bummer to make a 6 there, kind of put myself in a really tough spot after my second. Bounced back well, good two-putt on 3. Made a couple nice putts coming in, good one on 8. Nice birdie, nice iron into 9.
Q. Take us all the way through on No. 2, if you can.
MICHAEL BRENNAN: I played the hole five times, including last year, and I've made three doubles on the hole. So I don't have a great track record on that hole although it's like a 4-iron, wedge.
I really was hitting good wedge shots, good iron shots, and just I pulled a pitching wedge and ended up in a really bad spot, kind of up against the collar of the rough and the fairway. Tried to stab run an 8-iron, almost got it up, came back to my feet basically, and then took my medicine on the second one and hit it up to 25 feet.
Q. How do you approach with that hole? Like just in terms of this week with practice rounds and things like that when you know your track record. Is it anything that you focus on?
MICHAEL BRENNAN: I thought I was going to leave that in 2025. I didn't think the doubles were going to come in '26 as well. I don't know, maybe -- I did make two birdies last year as well, so hopefully that tracks as well. I don't know, just play the same and hope for better.
Q. To bounce back with four birdies there in your last five holes, just talk a little bit about that finish.
MICHAEL BRENNAN: Yeah, that was nice. The first one came at hole 5, hit a really nice wedge into 5 for just kind of a kick in. Good two-putt on 6.
Then 7, 8, 9 are holes that I think guys out here expect to try to take advantage of a little bit. 7 is a bit of a tough drive. If you hit the ball in play, you should have a pretty good look for birdie, same with 9. 8, kind of a bonus, made about a 30-footer for birdie.
Q. How nice is it to get off to this start when you're defending?
MICHAEL BRENNAN: Yeah, it's great. I felt like my game was pretty good, put some good work with my coach Adam the last couple weeks, and trying to make just small tweaks in swing. And game feels really nice; putting feels good.
Excited to see that continue in tournament play and really looking forward to the next three days.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports