Media Center Interviews
April 22, 2017
Round 3 Quick Quotes With Ryan Palmer
Q. Ryan Palmer, Amarillo Texas. Had to take you back to the days when you grew up in the wind-swept part of Texas. Talk a little bit about your round today, terrific 68 and how you dealt with these difficult conditions.
RYAN PALMER: Yeah, I knew it was going to be tough. I kind of built up some past experiences here at this golf course but that wind a couple years ago when I played I shot a low round as well. Mainly was my patience. I had a lot of patience this year I think because of the slow start and, you know, I've been driving it well.
So, just brought that today, I think, and I had some great breaks on the first four, five holes on errant tee shots. Able to get pars out of them.
Just stayed calm and relaxed and made some great putts coming in down the stretch and just played a really solid round of golf and didn't force any issues and just played real solid.
Q. You missed I think 6 greens but you got up and down five times. That has to be a huge help.
RYAN PALMER: Yeah. That can be misleading because a lot them were on fringes so I putted a lot, putting from 10, 15 feet short of the greens. I was -- I left myself some pretty easy shots.
I didn't short myself at all. I didn't have too many impossible up and downs. That's why I was able to get up and down all day. Salvaged a lot of pars.
Q. Did you find it difficult to putt because there are many exposed greens out here at TPC San Antonio?
RYAN PALMER: At times. Few times I backed off quite a bit, you get a gust here or there they can knock balls off line and we play a certain break but we may not play as much because of the wind.
But I was able to not let it affect me as much and just stayed really steady in my set-up and struck the ball beautifully.
Q. When did you run into the most trouble with the wind?
RYAN PALMER: I got some good breaks early with a few errant tee shots. Once I calmed down I was able to hit a lot of good shots. 7, 8, 9 were your toughest holes on the front-9. 15 was playing tough. For sure 18, of course, too.
I was able to keep the ball in the fairway a lot more often after the first -- start of my round and just kept it in front of me, didn't short-side myself too much and made some great putts today.
Q. You understand what the Texas winds can do especially here at this course. Just how different was it from yesterday to today?
RYAN PALMER: It played opposite. 17 not being able to get there and driving on the green. Look at 5, the same way, one hopping on to the green and today we had 55 yards into the hole. They played very, very tough on the front-9.
It was the wind. I knew what the wind did because I've had experience here before with the winds. Brought my mental game, my patience and paid off.
Q. You made more than 128 feet in putts today. What was going with your short game?
RYAN PALMER: I made a long one on 6. Made some great 10, 15 footers. I made 5, 6-footers when you have to. I was able to capitalize on the good play today for sure and I shot a good round and put myself right there.
Q. Hard to make a move today. What went right for you?
RYAN PALMER: Yeah. I stayed patient. The putter obviously. Made a lot putts today. Made a lot of key par putts, the five, six foot range and made one long bomb on 6 but then I was able to get up and down a lot today but the key there was I never short-sided myself. Lot of pretty easy chip shots. I putted off the green a lot. Good breaks. But, overall, just a great putting day.
Q. You hear this question everyday here when it does get windy how challenging can this course get?
RYAN PALMER: It's very hard as hard as it's blowing, how exposed it is, it makes for a challenging day.
Fortunately I've had some success here when it's blown this way in both directions so kind of taken that and use that to my advantage, I think, and, you know, I knew what to expect today with this wind and stayed patient and, like I said, the putter saved me today for sure.
Q. Do Texas events mean anymore to you considering your Texas tie?
RYAN PALMER: Obviously this one means a lot. I lived here for a few years. Lot of great friends out here in San Antonio. Every Texas event I play it means a lot just being from the State, Texas, and having my ties with A & M and it means that much more to me each time I play each week.
Q. Finally, how would you describe the atmosphere around the Valero?
RYAN PALMER: It's good. You know, unfortunately the weather was a little cool, probably kept a few people out. Tomorrow is going to be a beautiful day, little breezy and little warmer.
This set-up here is awesome with JW Marriott. Valero does an unbelievable job setting this place up and bringing the fans out. They support it tremendously.
Q. Besides it being long, the putt at No. 6, what do you remember about that one?
RYAN PALMER: It was a quick putt. I happened to just -- I had a certain break and obviously you're trying to put it in a four, five foot circle and died down perfectly and broke at the end, little delayed break and rolled in like a two footer.
One of those putts you don't expect to make. You're trying to two-putt. Fortunately it went in.
Q. With that happening and given some of the lucky breaks out of the fairway before then, once the putt went in you felt like I've got the mindset this is going to be a pretty good round?
RYAN PALMER: Got me to 2-under on the day. Let's take that and run with it. I had a great 2-putt on 7 and then I come back and birdie 8 and another great putt on 9.
You make those kind of putts, gets you going more and you're able to kind of attack a little more than you want to. It's nice to make the long ones.
Q. Would you say you're due or overdue to win here?
RYAN PALMER: It would be awesome, yeah. I don't want to say I'm due for anything out here. I've been close a lot of times here, Colonial, playoff at Nelson. I think this one, I feel like I can win this one each year I come here. We're going to bring it tomorrow and kind of see what happens.
Q. You've been trending well in this event.
RYAN PALMER: I've had some success here playing in these conditions. That's what helped drive me today, knowing I can play in the winds and this golf course, it's a driver's golf course. You got to hit your irons pretty precise. Tee to green, I've been pretty good so far this year and it pays off when it comes to this kind of golf course.
Q. Obviously Colonial is your home. TPC San Antonio, is that a course that --
RYAN PALMER: I think so. If -- you got to drive the ball well and your iron play has got to be pretty good. Tee to green I feel like I can compete with anybody out here and as long as I get my putting going. If I didn't love this golf course it can wipe you out pretty quickly. Staying patient and taking what the scores gives you is the key and I'm able to do that.
Q. (Inaudible).
RYAN PALMER: Old putter. Started working with the Stocktons this year and the main thing is going back to my old putter, grinding away before Hilton Head on short putting, too, and kind of got my hands a little higher and the putter a little flatter, I think, and actually added three degrees of loft to my putter from years past so Randy Smith really wanted me -- wanted to see it with me, see with my forward press and he was right about that one. It's paying off.
Q. In layman's terms, what difference does that make from what you had in the past?
RYAN PALMER: A low-lofted putter and forward press it delofts it even more. Now, that takes 2-degree loft to almost zero negative. Now I got a 4 degrees loft of the putter and forward press. The putter is more square and the putts come out on line.
Q. Do you feel more confident now in the last couple of weeks?
RYAN PALMER: Very much so. Last week I played great. The best putting I've had in a year. It's getting even better.
Q. Going to the Zurich Classic, playing with Jordan, what would it mean to go there with what happens tomorrow and all that?
RYAN PALMER: A lot. Knowing I'm playing well and knowing how good Jordan is and how good he's playing, I think it could make a lot of fun for the two of us.
We can feed off each other's game pretty good, his ball-striking and putting. If I can get a hot putter with his wedge game and iron play, he's leading the Tour in greens in regulation. I'm putting well and he's hitting a lot of irons close, it will be fun.
Q. Do you think he's paying attention? Any text messages from him?
RYAN PALMER: Not yet. I was afraid he was going to text me and tell me, "Dude, get your stuff in gear, let's go." No, I'm sure he's watching.
Q. (Inaudible.)
RYAN PALMER: We made the deal in November with James my caddy. If he beat him that day --
Q. You were playing?
RYAN PALMER: Played Trinity Forest. If James beat Jordan that day he had to play with me at Zurich. He won and here we are.
