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THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the interview area. We're here with Asterisk Talley. You played great yesterday and followed that up again today. Talk us through your round.
ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah, I feel like today was just less big mistakes. I minimized getting more than bogey. I feel like in the beginning of the round on hole 12 I hit it in the water, and then I had like an eight-footer for bogey, and I made it.
I feel like that was a big booster in the round because if I would have got double on that hole, that might have broke my round. I feel like that was a big part of it.
Then I was just steady pars after that, and then I just played some solid golf.
Q. You're 15 years old, the youngest player in the field. What were your honest expectations coming into this week, and have they now changed?
ASTERISK TALLEY: I feel like my expectations were to at least make the cut. That's what I wanted to do. Then if I achieved that, I wanted to get low amateur. But I feel like that's still achievable even after today's round.
I feel like I'm doing what I want so far, and I'm really happy with where I am.
Q. How would you describe your competitive makeup? Are you a feisty competitor?
ASTERISK TALLEY: I feel like I'm really calm on the golf course. People always tell me that, too. I don't really get like really hyped on the golf course. I feel like when I make a birdie, I'm like, well, whatever, and if I make a bogey, it's like, well, I'll birdie the next hole.
I'm not really a feisty competitor. I feel like I'm a calm, collected person.
Q. Was there a specific moment today or a specific shot where you felt like you surprised yourself with how you executed?
ASTERISK TALLEY: I feel like on 16 I did because I hit it in the left bunker, and I was about 80 yards, and I feel like whenever I have a really lofted wedge in my hand, I always tend to chunk it in the bunker, and I ended up getting like 12 feet, so I was really happy with that. I was like, whoa, I can hit it out of the bunker shot.
Q. How far do you hit your driver?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Around like 270, 275.
Q. How long have you been hitting it that far?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Almost a year.
Q. People loved your explanation on the greens and the pins yesterday. What was your take on it today?
ASTERISK TALLEY: There were definitely some brutal pins out there. I feel like some were really forgiving and some were just crazy hard. On hole 8, I landed short of the green and I ended up rolling out about eight feet past the pin, and it was like the scariest putt I had all day. I was just like, this is only eight feet, so let's try to get it within two-putt distance, which was kind of not what you think about, but then some were just like, oh, uphill -- I feel like if you stay below the hole on all these pins, you'll have an easy uphill putt for birdie or par.
Q. Are you a Taylor Swift fan?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Kind of. I'm like half. I'm not like part of the fandom or anything. Just the music is okay, so yeah.
Q. What's the plan for the rest of the day and into the tomorrow? How are you going to spend your time until you tee it up again?
ASTERISK TALLEY: I'm probably going to rest today because I woke up super early. I'm not a morning person so that was probably not the best plan. But I'm probably going to get some rest after I practice a little bit and then the game plan is going to stay the same.
Q. Is it strange at all that there are all of these cameras pointed at you and people like me asking you questions?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Not really. I feel like I'm kind of used to it. But at the same time, I haven't been in one of these. But it's not that bad, so...
Q. What are you taking out of the experience of playing in an Open?
ASTERISK TALLEY: I'm just trying to have a good time out here. I want my first Open to be memorable and for it to always be something I can look back on and say I had the time of my life, and I feel like earlier in the week I wasn't having a lot of fun.
Then when I started playing the tournament rounds I had so much fun out here. I'm having the best time of my life, so I hope that I can look back and just remember this time.
Q. I want to ask you about your caddie. You mentioned yesterday how much he's helped you. I guess you learned a little bit more about him today. Similar help today?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah, for sure. He's always helped me this week with the green reading, what club to hit. It's always nice to have a second opinion on your shots, even when sometimes you can feel like you don't trust what their decision is. It's nice to have a second opinion to justify yourself.
Q. You just met him Tuesday, Wednesday?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Mm-hmm, Tuesday. Yeah, it's been a nice time, though.
Q. Can you talk about your dad? He's a very recognizable person. He has the sleeve tattoos and it looks like he's having a lot of fun. What's it like having him out here? Can you just describe that?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Well, for one, that is not my dad. The person you're talking about is not my dad. My actual dad here, he's always trying to help me on the golf course. He's always there for me no matter what. Bad round, he's just going to try and tell they what I need to work on and then when I have a good round he's going to still tell me what I need to work on because we're always going to make mistakes even when we play a good round, so yeah.
Q. That's your dad's friend?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah. They're really excited.
Q. Have you learned anything from any of the other golfers or just from the experience in general?
ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah, just the way they play golf is different than playing junior golf because they take more time. They manage the course a lot better than us young people. I feel like we just play golf as we go, and I feel like they're more strategic and they plan it out more. I feel like we just kind of hit the shot and we're like, whatever. But they care a lot more than us I feel like.
Yeah, that's basically it.
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