Midway leaders talk about course strategies, keeping their makeup under pressure, and doing strong work in Oakmont
Q. Under 65, 5 strokes; can you chat there? Very amazing thing.
Sam Burns: Yes, I did a pretty good job yesterday except for the end hole. So, I think today is just mentally ready to come out and try to bring the round together. I feel like I’ve been doing well last week and yesterday. Really just want to put yourself in the position here and give yourself as much as possible.
ask: How important is it to save on the last ticket?
Sam Burns: Yes, it’s good. This is obviously a difficult loophole. It’s a blind tee, and the footage from the mountain is trying to hit the fade out on the left and pull it a little. Then, that putter is a six-foot break. Yes, this is a good choice.
ask: What did you tell yourself from last night to today?
Sam Burns: Just I played a really good golf ball and I think you get out of here, the golf course will bite you.
This is unfortunate, but there are too many things to focus on a little bit of the disadvantages.
ask: You obviously have an accomplished career with a lot of big positions, but how do you feel at the Grand Slam position after 36 holes?
Sam Burns: Very good. Obviously there is a lot of golf left on a very tough golf course, so I think I really have to take a break this afternoon and be ready for tomorrow.
ask: Do you think Pinehurst learned last year? This is your first top ten in your major. Do you feel like you learned anything that week that took you a step further in these big competitions?
Sam Burns: Yes, sometimes, I want to be too perfect on the main tournament golf course, and I think especially here, honestly, it kind of forces you to take medication because a lot of the time, it’s your only option.
I think for this golf course you really just need to release it. It’s too difficult to try to guide it here. You will hit some in rough situations, you will hit some in some bad attractions, you’d better do it under authority.
Yes, it will be a fun weekend.
ask: Did you feel like you learned what you learned from the Green Party yesterday?
Sam Burns: Apart from being very difficult, it’s not true. I think a lot of times you have putters, even from 15 or 20 feet you are not really trying to make them, you just want to get the speed right and want it to rely on the hole next to it. Today, I even had a 15 or 20 feet distance and I hit three to four feet without even thinking about it.
You have to really pay attention to your position.
ask: How is it different from the average tour course you attended?
Sam Burns: Well, I mean, I think in terms of speed, the golf course – we played with the vegetables very quickly. However, these velocities are as many as the number of slopes, which is what makes them very difficult.
ask: Do you think it’s possible in practice 65 in your mind, which is good?
Sam Burns: To be honest, I didn’t really think about scoring. Like I said, it’s really hard to figure out what a good score is and what is not. You’re really just shooting by shooting and trying to play every hole as much as possible.
ask: Why do you think you are a good putter, like one of the best putters in the world?
Sam Burns: I practice it a lot. I’m trying to make it very simple. I think if you look at the putter, the ball rolls on the ground. There are many imperfections on the grass. Depending on the speed, the ball can play a lot of different lines, so if you try to put it too perfectly, you’ll drive you crazy, so I’m just trying to really read it, scroll it well, focus on the speed and hopefully get the best speed.
ask: Just as good as a round, think it might be better with some putters you have? You have some other looks.
Sam Burns: Not true, no. I think it’s a little greedy. Like I said, you have 15 feet, 20 feet, which seems like a manufacturable putter, but a lot of the time, you aim for four, five, six, seven feet.
ask: A few of you guys are on the top, non-Mayor’s winners, and some guys who win professionally are a little further. Do you think this is something, maybe not too much about thinking about the golf course, or maybe overcooking in two days?
Sam Burns: What’s the problem?
ask: Some of you haven’t won the pros at the top yet, and some are at the bottom. What do you think is there, maybe not that much?
Sam Burns: I don’t know. I think for me, I can only really talk about my own experience. I feel like I’ve said before, I just feel like I’m trying to play too perfectly and sometimes trying to force it. So, trying to be really patient and accept what the golf course gives me.
ask: How is this course challenging in spirit and how do you feel to deal with it?
Sam Burns: Yes, I don’t think there’s just Gimme Hole in spirit. There isn’t a single loophole that gets there and hits it, rather than really paying attention to what you’re going to do. I think it takes a lot of focus on every shot, even if you are in a rough situation and you are trying to restore it to the fairway, it’s also difficult to shoot each time. So, in fact, you’re very focused and put a lot of shots in your mind, which I think over time, is very taxable.
ask: You really have to get into trouble for the past two days. How important is your short game to release the scores posted so far?
Sam Burns: Yes, it’s good. Look, this golf course is very tough, you will get the ball out of position and you will get into some tricky attractions. I think it’s really important to be able to rely on your short game and give yourself a PAR chance.
ask: How much worry about the course getting revenge when you are in Oakmont and how it can ruin the grades of so many people, how is it like to have a great day here, and how are you having a great day here? What are your thoughts when you get these days?
Sam Burns: Look, it’s a 72-hole golf game, and if you can get a round here, whether it’s 1 shot, it’s acceptable. I think it was so good that my end yesterday was over today and it felt like I was doing very well.
Yes, I look forward to the weekend.
