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RBC CANADIAN OPEN

July 19, 2016

Dan McCarthy

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the RBC Canadian Open media center. This is I'm sure an honor for you to have earned one of the top three spots in The Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit and earned your way here. If you can tell us what it feels like earning a spot in the field in the PGA TOUR event this week.

DAN McCARTHY: Well, I've worked very hard, so it feels great that all the hard work and the tournament results have led to me being here. So I'm just going to try to treat it like another tournament and keep going.

THE MODERATOR: I think the question in everyone's mind is: What has clicked for you this year? Obviously you've been competitive on The Mackenzie Tour the last few years but nothing like you've been this year. So what in your mind has been the difference this year?

DAN McCARTHY: You know, I guess as you said, I've been competitive in the past and I've unfortunately messed up a few times. I've learned a lot from being in that moment and the mistakes I made there before. I don't think anything's really all that much different from year's past. Just a little bit more experience.

THE MODERATOR: I've seen you out in the range working on some drills that you do every single time you play to get ready. Is there any kind of one thing about your game in particular that's clicked that's been especially better for you this year than in year's past?

DAN McCARTHY: Usually for me, if I keep it in play off the tee, I do pretty well. My iron game is pretty strong. I'm a pretty good putter. I've done a pretty good job of keeping it in play and managing any game, the course management aspect of it. So I've done a pretty good job of that.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned getting it in play off the tee. One thing that's unique to your game is you'll hit driver off the deck every now and then. When did you start doing that and when did you figure out, hey, this is something I should play out on the golf course?

DAN McCARTHY: Living in South Florida in the wintertime, it gets pretty windy down there. So anything you can do to keep it out of the air and getting it on the ground and running just to keep it lower. You know, it usually goes pretty straight. Doesn't get away from me too often, so I'm like, why am I not doing this on a regular basis on a tough tee shot or tight hole or something like that. It's just evolved as sort of a go-to shot I guess.

THE MODERATOR: I've seen it dozens of times, I don't think anything of it, do you ever get when you're playing with guys in your group, did they ever say, hey, when did you start doing this, or is it just kind of whatever now?

DAN McCARTHY: Usually they just ask me if I'm out of tees. But yeah, occasionally. I think a lot of the guys have seen it now and they are used to it. Some guys are caught off guard by it a little bit and they ask me and I'll tell them the same thing. It's usually a 7- or 8-iron.

Q. You've won once, and then you won twice and then you won three times. Does it feel like any time you tee it up on the JP McManus Pro-Am you're going out there to win again?
DAN McCARTHY: It does. I guess I never really got truly in contention last week at the Staal Foundation, but I was pretty close. I think I cracked the Top-10 for a little while and it's a course I've struggled with in the past. I was pretty happy to get in the mix a little bit out there until I had a bad final round on Sunday. But yeah, you know, I'm pretty confident right now. I'm riding a good wave.

Q. And now for all intents and purposes, looks like you're going to be on the Web.com Tour next year. Any thoughts about how you're feeling about getting up to that next level next year?
DAN McCARTHY: I'm pretty excited about it. I feel like I've been on the brink for awhile. So I had conditional status in 2013 up there. So I know I can get out there. Conditional status out there now is tough with the level of competition and all that. So it will be nice to get a few more starts next year and see how I can do.

Q. You're kind of used to I guess the Canadian travel over the last couple years, The Mackenzie Tour, whole new schedule of travel next year. How are you going to work on that and just kind of getting mentally prepared for a whole new season next year?
DAN McCARTHY: You know, fortunately, I know a lot of guys out there on that tour. A lot of the guys that I've played with over the years have been able to make that step to the next level. I'll rely on some of their experience to help me along the way.

Q. You're a native of Syracuse; is this your first time playing here at Glen Abbey?
DAN McCARTHY: It is. I've never played up at Glen Abbey. I played in the area back when it was Canadian Tour I think back in 2009 and 2010. We played close to here in Milton, Ontario. Never played Glen Abbey before. Looking forward to it.

Q. I think we were all surprised, not the fact that you're playing so well, but the fact that a guy who is playing so well wouldn't be rewarded with a battle field promotion. Do you think what you've done this year, winning three teams, if this is on the Web.com Tour, we know where you'd be right now. Do you think it will start a conversation maybe within the Tour? Has it already started with the players maybe about the fact that there should be something like that to springboard to the Web.com Tour right away?
DAN McCARTHY: You know, I guess it makes sense. It's definitely something to start talking about. I can't make the rules on that. I think that's up to the players' board and stuff like that. I know how tight it is at the end of the felts up there and I've been in that position where I've had conditional status. It would be pretty hard to stomach for me right now to box somebody out at the end of the field up there that have earned their way on to that tour, as well.

I can see both ways. But I can't control any of that.

Q. Your expectations, watching you all season long, it seems like your demeanor always remains the same no matter what you're doing on the golf course or how you're playing, it's always been good. Does that change the way you go into this? Are you going to try to enjoy the experience? Are you going to try to make the cut? What is the thought process?
DAN McCARTHY: I try not to go out into any event with any expectations. If you start setting expectation on yourself, then you can almost limit yourself. I don't want to say, I just want to come here and make the cut. This is a golf tournament. This is my job. I'm here to try and win, try and get in contention and learn from it ultimately.

Q. Did you changed your status on your flights, get a bit more leg room with all this money you've earned so far in Canada?
DAN McCARTHY: I did, on the way from Thunder Bay here. I spent $11.00 and got a little bit more leg room (laughter).

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming in and chatting. We appreciate it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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