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THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY NATIONWIDE


June 2, 2017


Adam Scott


Dublin, Ohio

Q. Plus 4 yesterday. 6-under today. What happened last night?
ADAM SCOTT: (Laughter), I wish I knew what it was because it's a remarkable difference in the way I played.

Yesterday I was awful off the tee. And you can't play this course from the rough. And it was just a battle all day. And then today I played beautifully.

It's just a crazy game sometimes. It feels good to shoot 66, probably my lowest round of the year. So I'm feeling pretty good about that. And I felt good coming into this week and I was a bit shocked with how badly I played yesterday. Stayed patient and got some birdies together. Hopefully have a great weekend and make something of the week.

Q. You've got three top-5s here in your career. Having been a man that shot the score on the first day, 4-over par, but shoots 6-under par. First day it bossed you around. Today you bossed it around. What's the key to getting around this golf course in good numbers?
ADAM SCOTT: You've got to be in the fairways. And the thing is the fairways are generous, too. But of course being a Jack Nicklaus golf course, there's a premium on second shots. If you don't hit it in the right spot, you hit it above the hole, you can't play it from there, either. Although it looks fairly wide open and not too penal. You've got to position it well. So if you're striking your irons good, you can get it under the hole, have some uphill putts and make some birdies.

Q. Your form looks good. How are you feeling about your play heading into this weekend, but also heading into the U.S. Open?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I left the PLAYERS on a real positive note. I played really well there. And I felt I had all the opportunities to be in contention but something just wasn't there, but it was close.

I felt good the last couple of weeks at home practicing. I felt surprised yesterday, but more what I was expecting today. If I can keep playing nicely over the weekend here, I'm going to play Memphis next week. I have some golf to play, but I want to play myself with nice form and some confidence for the U.S. Open.

Q. 76 yesterday, 10 shots better today, maybe take us through it a little bit.
ADAM SCOTT: More like what I was expecting today. Just got it in the fairway off the tee a lot more and hit some beautiful iron shots. Played some good golf out there. Hate to say it could be better, but it felt like that.

I played really well. Nice to have a good score and be around for the weekend. Not really in contention with a 66. But two good rounds can go a long way over the weekend.

Q. As far as the course itself, obviously in immaculate condition. Maybe you can describe from your professional perspective this course and its playability over the last two days.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it is in perfect condition. Just the swirling winds are the tricky bits. It wasn't that tough yesterday but the wind swirled little bit. You don't have to be much off to get penalized and that's kind of Jack Nicklaus' thing. You hit good shots, you get rewarded. You're just a little off you get penalized. This is a great track.

Today, in the morning, there was no wind to speak of. It was just there for good shots. If you could get it in the right spots, you could attack. And I managed to do that a few times.

Q. Three top-10s at this championship. But as you mentioned, a few shots back from the lead. How are you feeling about the weekend?
ADAM SCOTT: I'm pleased to be here for the weekend because I want to play plenty of rounds before the U.S. Open and I feel my game is kind of in good shape. But sometimes you need some scores to give you that confidence, and it's hard to get those scores when you're sitting at home on the weekend.

I'm happy to be here. I'd like to have two really good rounds over the weekend and take something going into next week.

Q. Talk a little bit about -- nice turnaround for you in Round 2 compared to yesterday.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, absolutely. It's quite satisfying to post a good score out here. Obviously conditions are beautiful. And there were lots of good scores this morning. So I had to do it just to kind of make the cut and be around for the weekend. I played very well tee to green, putted nicely, hit a lot of good shots in really close. Took the pressure off a little bit.

It was a shame to drop one on the 8th coming in. And it's probably my best round of the year, so I'm pretty pleased.

Q. How much does it change your mindset about what you have to do on a Friday with your score yesterday?
ADAM SCOTT: It makes it pretty obvious, I've got to shoot a good score to be around for the weekend. And that's never a position you want to be in. It's also a very serious position, it's do or die.

I had to come out this morning, very focused, very determined to shoot a good score. Got to a shaky start off the 10th and managed to just stay calm inside. I know I'm swinging better than what the scores have shown to that point, and I just had to wait until it all came about. And it did. And I hit a lot of good shots.

Q. Is that a 66 that could have been a 60?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, that was some really good stuff out there. A few putts that could have gone from inside ten feet that didn't. But I made a lot, too. It's hard to complain when you shoot 66 around this golf course. But you're always looking to get the most out of it. And it's only a positive thing that I can realistically find one or two out there. And that's a good thing going into the weekend because it looks like I need something pretty low.

Q. How are the greens here this year compared to years past and do you like them or how do they play?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I mean, the greens are in good shape. I'd say they're not as crazy fast as I've seen them in years past. Certainly they're very nice first thing in the morning, but they slow up after that. And that's nice for us, because they're a serious set of greens. And putts can get away from you, a lot of break. But they're in good shape.

Q. Is there anything club-wise that you kept in the bag today that maybe you played with yesterday?
ADAM SCOTT: It was all the same stuff in there. Just a new head on my shoulders, that's all.

Q. Do you ever practice concerning your breathing? Jason Dufner just told about the sniper. Have you heard about this?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I've heard about this, for sure. I haven't really done any sniper training (laughter), but I've worked on a few things with breathing just before shots, exhaling, as far as a relaxing thing.

Q. Reduce your heartbeat?
ADAM SCOTT: That's more like the sniper stuff. What I've done is just to feel the tension go out. I don't know if it's actually reducing my heartbeat. But lots of things playing under pressure, if you feel yourself getting a little out of control, you can walk very slow and breathe very slow and slow everything down, breathing and your heartbeat. It's good for staying calm.

It doesn't look like Duf needs to stay much calmer than he normally is, we might have to check his pulse soon.

Q. What's with the bear?
ADAM SCOTT: That's my trophy for winning the Jack Nicklaus quiz on Sky Sports this week.

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