HORIZON IRISH OPEN

June 30, 2022

Aaron Rai

Mount Juliet Estate

Quick Quotes

Q. Lots of birdies on that card, eight in total to round out the opening round, 66. You must be delighted, the way you started today.

AARON RAI: Yeah, very pleased overall. Started off very fast, I think I was 4 into maybe through 5, 5 into through 8. And then just kind of slowed down a little bit on the back, I guess, dropped a couple of shots, kind of slowed the momentum down a little.

But still finished off pretty nicely. 6-under par to start any round at any tournament is a very good start. Very pleased overall.

Q. The course seems quite receptive. How do you see it playing out as the week unfolds?

AARON RAI: Yeah, it's been quite soft. The golf balls are picking up mud on the fairway, so we play preferred lies. Very soft greens as well, very spinny with the wedges, which then makes for pretty scorable conditions.

I think the weather is meant to be a little bit drier over the next few days. We've had some rain at the start of the week. But I think as the week does go on, with a bit of dry weather, I'm sure it will firm up a little bit. But I can't imagine it playing that firm by the end of the week.

Q. You've come very close to an Irish Open before, a couple of years ago. How important is it to get a good number up there this week, especially given there's going to be three extra places at The Open?

AARON RAI: Yeah, two years ago in the Irish Open, have a lot of good memories. We came second that week. But any tournament that I play in I want to try and do my very, very best. And the Irish Open is no exception to that.

It's got an amazing history. It's a great venue, being here, which adds a little bit extra to it. But I'll do my best, and I'll see where that puts me at the end of the week.

Q. How do you feel you've evolved as a person? It's been a long time since I've seen you. Obviously you're playing across the pond. Do you feel like you've changed a lot as far as your golf has gone?

AARON RAI: You know, that's a great question. I think I can maybe answer that a little bit better once I've played a few more events over here to see how that translates to Europe.

But it is a slightly different style, a few different things to get used to over there. And I feel like I've adapted to that part well. How that translates back into Europe, I'm not quite sure just yet. I think that will take a bit of time, and the results will answer that question. But I feel like I've adapted to things well, and I feel like a better player when I've played over there for sure.