Media Center Interviews

April 20, 2017

Round 1 Quick Quotes With Stewart Cink

Q. Only one bogey. You finished your last 9 holes with four birdies.

STEWART CINK: Well, it was mostly iron play. Actually I hit a lot of really nice iron shots and hit the ball the right distance. That's not that easy to do on this golf course. There's a lot of holes where you got trouble long and short and you have to be pretty precise. A little breeze blowing. I hit a lot of nice iron shots and converted a few of the medium range putts.

Q. Let's get into the weather a little bit more. Texas, of course, is going to give you some trouble with the wind from time to time. How did that play in today?

STEWART CINK: There was some wind but very predictable. A light breeze, warm breeze so it was -- if anything, the wind that was out there today was almost better than having a calm day because you knew the wind was constantly coming from a certain direction.

You could use it when you needed it. Today was an ideal afternoon type of golf weather that you would want to have.

Q. Knowing and having that in mind, did you really want to take advantage and play a little bit more aggressive, maybe some lingering weather and gusts later in the week?

STEWART CINK: I was aware of the weather coming in and the wind switch around. I only played here on other time so I'm still getting used to the greens and where the trouble is located and I feel like I was playing a little bit of defense out there as opposed to being aggressive.

I did hit a lot of nice shots. I was a little unsure about some of the pins where the trouble is and what side to miss on. That's just the nature of it.

Q. Stewart, 6 birdies on the day but really your back-9 was the front-9. On the second hole you really started to crank things up and put a few birdies together there.

STEWART CINK: Yeah. I think it really started on the first hole, which was my 10th hole. Made about a 12-footer for par there and when you can make a conversion for par out of junk on the right which I was in, obviously, you know, just kind of builds your confidence a little bit and the next three holes I got nice birdie putts. I felt really confident.

That par putt doesn't go in on the first hole we could be talking about a different result. I was able to capitalize on that moment.

Q. Got to be feeling great about the game considering the scoring going forward at the Valero Texas Open.

STEWART CINK: Everyday is a new day. I want to come out here and do my best and play well every day. It's hard to say I found something but I've been playing pretty decent golf except if you take out last week where I missed the cut at the RBC Heritage.

I had a good time today. Fun challenge out there. I haven't played good that much so I'm still getting comfortable with the course and the pin locations and where to miss it and where to be aggressive.

So, I'm still tiptoeing my way around this course a little bit. That will be the case this week.

Q. Was it one of those situations where the three of you kind of ganged up on the course at one point and started to put up some really good scores and roll in the birdies?

STEWART CINK: It's always nice to have guys in the group all playing well because, you know, just everybody is in a good mood. Easy conversations. We played with Brian Gay and Jhonny Vegas and me and Jhonny Vegas, the way he hits the ball it's fun to watch no matter what you're doing on the golf course.

He made it look pretty easy out there the first half of the round or so. And, sure, I guess it made it look easy enough where we played well, too.