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SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

March 31, 2017

Stewart Cink

Humble, Texas

Q. Great, comeback the last two holes.
STEWART CINK: Hit some off-roading on the second 9.

Q. Off-roading?
STEWART CINK: Got my pants dirty, especially. Got mud all over of them. Kind of dried up and went away. Kind of the nature of this course. If you hit it really good, you can avoid all the trouble like you can in all courses. If you get a little bit off, there's just stuff lurking all around the fairways out there. And I visited the stuff. Missed a couple of short putts and made a couple bombs. Kind of a mix. Like to clean it up the next couple days.

Q. You talked yesterday a lot about the plight you brought to your golf game being inspired by Lisa. Is that like you talked about?
STEWART CINK: I think you can say that. Trying to play on through your circumstances when they're not always great. I think Lisa would say that about her own life right now, you know, trying to live on. And so in golf for me that translates into I missed two short putts. I missed a tap-in on 7. I went to finish out and missed it. That kind shakes your world a little bit. Then turned around and birdied the last two holes. Just trying to kind of persevere and trust that the big picture, I've got some good things going on in my golf, and the -- in the little picture, I had some bad things going on for two holes. Overall still trusted it's going finish and made a couple nice putts on the last two.

Q. She flew in last night?
STEWART CINK: Yeah. Right over there.

Q. Does it help to compartmentalize those things, kind of take one round at a time, versus the stuff that's going on off the course, and even just one hole after something like 7, to be able to bounce back?
STEWART CINK: Yeah. It's different kind of compartmentalization. It does help. I mean, being out here inside the ropes is sort of like my -- almost like an escape, even though I also take time away from the game. Doesn't really make sense, does it? Getting into the rhythm of a round and computing yardages and figuring out shots and executing and starting all that over again is kind of an escape route for me. It is for her, too, a little bit. She has her own way of dealing with the rounds. It's a different kind of compartmentalization.

It would be a mistake to try to just completely put all of her health concerns out of our minds, because then we would just be basically refusing to face up to the facts. So, we're trying to do the best we can with it and influence people somewhat, you know, encourage people that are in the same situation and try to be like a help in the world, you know, because lots of people are going through a lot of stuff.

Q. You talked last night about trying to make memories on this side of town versus the other side of town. Is there any way to make it more difficult coming here because you almost can't escape the stuff with what she's been going through?
STEWART CINK: Not really. No, not really. If we were staying in the same hotel we always stay at when we come to M.D. Anderson it might be different. I probably wouldn't be playing in the tournament. But we're not. We've seen a lot of people that we've met through M.D. Anderson, lot of supporters and friends. It's a community. We all share a bond, either being treated for it or a caregiver like me or a medical caregiver, like some of the team that we've been fortunate to be cared under for the last year or so. Having those people around supporting us in lot of different ways, it feels great. I think it's a really positive part of being here this week.

Q. You talk about reaching out. Which players have reached out to you? You're not the only ones who go through this on Tour. Which players have reached out to you?
STEWART CINK: Well, because of Lisa's age, mostly the ones who have gone through similar cases with their wives have been older guys like Curtis Strange, you know, for instance. So, it's a little unusual that Lisa is so young and having -- going through it right now. The ones who have been through something like this have reached out. They're a little bit older, more Champions Tour age. Pretty much every player. I mean, almost every single player that I've seen has at least asked, "How is Lisa doing?" They don't really know a lot of the details. I just appreciate them asking.

Q. Are you still at a point where your playing schedule is dictated on how she's doing with her treatment?
STEWART CINK: Yes. Yeah, I am. Because of that I'm just not making my scheduled plans more than about eight weeks or so roughly ahead. I just don't know. When she feels like she can travel and play, when she feels like traveling, I'll play. When she -- God willing, she feels good like that for a long time until she's about 80. If something changes, we'll have to reassess.

Q. How important is it to have her out here for a round after getting off to a good start yesterday?
STEWART CINK: Yeah. Really doesn't have anything to do with yesterday. Just good to have her out here. The reason she wasn't here before was because her mom had knee replacement surgery this week. She was at home being her own mom's caregiver, otherwise she would have been here. It's nice having her out, obviously. Any guy is going say it's nice to have their wife or girlfriend out, they're traveling with them. Little bit special to have Lisa out. I'm glad she's here.

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