TOMMY FLEETWOOD: The day just continued to -- those closing holes felt like they continued to get harder. So to get back to level par, I was really, really happy with a great hole on 9.
Q. Can I ask you about 10? There's an even split between people laying back and going for it. I'm just looking at your graphic. Did you intentionally stay back?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, I felt like the way the wind was this morning, it was really, really strong. I try to get it as close to the slope as possible so that it can go down, but generally if I pull it, it won't reach the left side. Then it got a kick and ended up in the rough.
If you can get it down there, I do think it's probably ideal a majority of the time, but you've got to get it there.
Q. What's the calculus of trying to ride the breeze with some shots versus carving back into it potentially?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yes, a lot. I guess you have a feel for it. I think you -- when the wind's this strong and if there's ever a cross at all, you're going to fight it somewhat. You've got to just let the ball go, and it will just be out of your control. There's always like an element of holding it up.
I guess there's just a feel to that and like a semi-calculation. Just pick what you feel is right. If you get it right, you hit the right shot.
Q. On a test like this, do you find yourself watching your partner's results more or less than normal or maybe the same?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, maybe the same. I think we had a good group today. The round started to get away from me a little bit when I made the turn, made two like poor three-putts. But I think sometimes it almost helps when you've got two guys going really well. Not that they can kind of drag you up.
If you're struggling, it gives you a false reflection of maybe what's going on. Those two were having two of the best rounds of the day. So it kind of helps you in a way. It kind of drags you a little bit.
Other than that, it's hard. Just watching how shots react, particularly like putts. It's so windy out there. The job's never done even when you hit the green. Greens are so small, but then you can still like -- in terms of the areas to hit it at, but then it's still really tough from there.
It's like constant. Like you are watching them just to kind of get some kind of feel or read on the putt.
Q. The wind on the putt (indiscernible) --
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Again, when it's just -- I think there was a few greens that were a bit more open than some others. Then when it's gusty and maybe a cross-wind, you pick your line, and you choose it, but if you play with the wind and it stops, then it's going to miss. If you don't play wind and it pumps, then it's going to miss as well. You've got to get it in at the right time.
That's part of the challenge. It just never gets easier.
Q. Challenge into the 16th hole playing into the wind. You barely cleared that bunker. Rory hit it into it.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I can't believe I cleared it and Rory didn't. That's the first thing. I pulled it slightly, but I had like a rockety flight. Then I hit 5-wood again coming off the toe, but I got lucky to miss the bunker because I was in a terrible lie. The third shot was a bit of a hit and hope in a way.
At the same time, sometimes when you're in the rough, it takes away the actual trying to control the spin of it into the wind.
Q. How did you find the setup given the forecast?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It's about as bare as you can probably get it. I was surprised on Monday the course was very, very soft and slow, but they clearly judged it perfectly, and I think today -- well, hardly anybody would want to play it any harder than what it was.
Yeah, I think they did an amazing job of making it as fair as you could possibly make a test of golf today with the conditions that they had. Yeah, they did great.
Q. How small of a landing area do you guys have on 7, and what shot did you try to hit there?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I hit like a 6-iron. Wind's in off the right today. Yeah, like you almost don't realize how good of a shot. Like even me, I hit a 6-iron, that's 20 feet, 25 feet. Even to just be on the green, I look back, and I feel like it's an unbelievable shot. If somebody else hits it, I'll be like, great shot.
Yeah, it's a very, very tiny spot, and then the wind makes it -- when the wind is working, the way that the green is sloping as well, you obviously know that left bunker and left is okay. Like, you can't get up-and-down, but then that's like the mental game in it as well.
How disciplined can you be? How aggressive can you try to hit the perfect shot? So, yeah, it's -- you know, again, another like tiny, tiny area to hit it in with a putter.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports