Media Center Interviews

April 22, 2017

Round 3 Quick Quotes With Branden Grace

Q. How good was that 70 under these gusty conditions?

BRANDEN GRACE: It was brutal. It's trying to say alive. Just I didn't give any shots out there. It's tough. You have to be on top of your game.

What I did well today was the same as Thursday, I managed to hit the fairways, managed to hit the greens and I actually putted a lot better than I thought but it's tough in those winds. Some putts you think it's in and just scoots by. It was a great day.

Q. Tell me about looking forward to Championship Sunday now, finishing tied for 9th last year, you can certainly improve on that come tomorrow.

BRANDEN GRACE: Definitely. I feel, like I said, my game has been coming along. And the ball-striking this week has been there.

I don't know what the weather has got in store for us tomorrow but if it's a good day it's going to take a probably a couple under because you're going to get some guys coming from behind shooting a low number.

Day like today, just patient. Go out there and do the same thing I've done the last three days.

Q. You said you liked playing in the wind more than normal guys. Why is that?

BRANDEN GRACE: I just pretty much I grew up in South Africa, always windy, playing on the cliffs and things like that.

It's one of those where you teach yourself how to hit the ball low and how to play in the wind and I've done that pretty well my whole career since I can remember and it's enjoyable for me to come to places like this where you have to hit certain shots at certain times.

Q. But the way the wind was blowing today, what did you have to do to manage?

BRANDEN GRACE: You know, just trying to not make any bogies, to be honest. I thought if I can do the same as the first day, try to hit the fairway and try to hit the greens and give myself some chances. That's exactly what I done.

So it is nice to play the round. It was tough and brutal. But, again, we had these kind of conditions at Augusta the first two rounds so it was good prep coming to this one.

Q. You mentioned before the tournament you've really been feeding off energy at Augusta, last week defending at the RBC Heritage.

BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah. I felt the whole year I've not been playing too badly. The scores haven't been coming around. Augusta, after coming off three consecutive missed cuts the last couple years, it was really big to make the cut, you know.

I played really well. The ball-striking overnight was great from Saturday up till now for hitting the ball well and give myself some chances. That's what I've been lacking and this is the position you want to be in, you play for. So, give it a shot tomorrow.