Q. Denny McCarthy, 2-under 68. 68, 68 on the weekend. Can you talk us through that and how pleased you are?
DENNY McCARTHY: I played really solid. It feels weird to say, but I felt like it could have been a decent amount lower. I hit the ball so good today.
Came out with the mindset that I was going to try to win the U.S. Open today, and I felt like I played well enough to do that. Really just -- I putted well but a really good putting weekend away from being right up there at the top.
Just really proud of myself. This is a big stage, and I'm starting to get more comfortable at these events. I'll be back for sure.
I like where my game is trending, and I'm going to keep working hard. I have really deep drive to get better. This is going to make me even more hungry.
Q. Obviously you're a little bit disappointed, but what positives are you going to take from this week?
DENNY McCARTHY: I was so comfortable today. Man, I was seeing shots so well, really committed. No doubts at all really. Just I was really comfortable with where my swing and game is and really committed with the clubs I was picking and the shots I was seeing. Just really proud of how I committed to all those shots and executed a lot of them. So this is a huge step in the right direction for me.
Q. I notice you reference over there T-5 at Memorial. What were your keys to that week, and what carried over from that?
DENNY McCARTHY: Similar. I'm not the longest of hitters, but I drive it pretty straight on a regular basis. So putting the ball in the fairway at a place like Memorial and here is huge.
Then my iron game is really starting to come around. I'm getting really comfortable when I'm in the fairway with mid-irons and short irons.
Then, obviously, putting is the strength of my game. So if I'm driving it in the fairway, hitting quality iron shots, and giving myself great looks, it's a really great recipe for good golf. Like I said, I'm going to keep working hard. I know I'm really close to knocking the door down.
Q. Can I ask you what that lie was like below the hole there at 18 because I saw where it was?
DENNY McCARTHY: It was not very good. It was hard to tell. There was so much fescue, it was hard to tell how high it was. I felt like if I -- you know, the grass was really wispy around it. It was just hard to tell how low the ground -- how high the ball was sitting up on the ground. So it was kind of a professional guess.
I was hoping it was going to come out maybe a little softer than that. It didn't end up working out. It was a disappointing bogey, but obviously, it's a great week still.
Q. Having a 68 yesterday and a 68 today, do you feel like anything's switched or anything changed from the opening two rounds to the final two here?
DENNY McCARTHY: No, I think I just got more comfortable on the golf course as the week went along, even with the winds changing around. I really feel like -- I'm not saying this just because I played well, but I really enjoyed the course more each day I played it.
At the beginning of the week, I was like, oh, this is a good venue. I wasn't crazy about it. After today, I love this golf course. I think it tests all aspects of the game. I think the USGA did a great job setting up the course.
So I think I just got a combination of getting really comfortable on the course and having a good game plan and just playing some really good golf.
Q. Just a curious question: I've heard some stories at previous tournaments and stuff. Golfers will leave something in the locker they were using that weekend. Is that anything you've done, or do you plan on doing it this week?
DENNY McCARTHY: To leave something I was using this weekend?
Q. Yeah.
DENNY McCARTHY: No, I stick to a pretty basic, normal routine. Nothing different changed this week. Didn't use anything different, I don't think. I don't know. Yeah, I don't know.
Q. Following up, I did notice that you were 5-over. I think you bogeyed the 6th, which was your 15th hole of the day. You birdied your last two.
DENNY McCARTHY: Correct.
Q. Any momentum off of that?
DENNY McCARTHY: Yeah, that's a round that could have gotten away from me. It was in the process of getting away from me. I had to dig really deep to finish strong that day.
I birdied 8 and made, like, a nice 30-footer on 9 for birdie to close. So that was some nice positive mojo going into the second day.
I played really well the second day. I shot even the second day. That's the same kind of story. I felt like tee-to-green I was so good and just a hot putter away from shooting 2- or 3- to 5-under that day. I didn't do it, but the more I keep having quality ball striking weeks like this is going to be huge for me because of what I can do with the putter.
Q. T-42 was your best major finish previous to this. This must feel pretty good.
DENNY McCARTHY: Yeah, it does. Like I said, I was so comfortable today. I was a little nervous getting off, but it's a good nervous for me. I feel like when I get nervous, I'm super engaged and very committed to my shots.
I was really calm throughout the middle and back nine of my round. Knowing I have a chance to win the U.S. Open and feeling that calm, it's a really great feeling. So like I said, I'm hungry, and I look forward to getting back into a position like this.
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