SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 13, 2023

Denny McCarthy

Waialae Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Denny, had a good start yesterday. How would you compare today to the first round?

DENNY McCARTHY: I didn't hit it quite at good today but still played pretty solid. Really only missed two tee shots and did not get away with them at all.

Some pretty bad breaks hitting trees and going behind other trees. That's what can happen out here unfortunately.

Other than that, I played really solid. Made some nice putts. A little disappointed to kind of finish 5, 5; bogeyed 8 and par 9, kind of like a par-4 and a half.

But other than that, played really solid. Like where my game is, how it feels.

Q. You talked yesterday about wanting to win. How do you manage wanting to win and not pressing to win?

DENNY McCARTHY: I think I just I'm in a really good frame of mind right now. I think I'm just so focused on each shot where if I just keep doing that, just add it up at the end of the week, I know if I play my best golf I can win out here.

And it's hard to not look ahead too far. I think sometimes I do that and sometimes I do a really good job of staying in the moment. I think I just need to keep doing that where I just kind of stay into the process.

Derek and I, my caddie, have done a really good job the last few days of just being really committed to shots and putting the same emphasis into each shot.

If I keep doing that, I think that will put me in a good spot.

Q. Final thing. The golf course was fast and firm yesterday; looks the same today. How is it playing right now and what are you anticipating come Sunday?

DENNY McCARTHY: I mean, if you hit the ball in the fairway it's gettable. If we don't get any moisture I don't think -- I was first out this morning. It was a little dewy so the ball wasn't going as far. It was a little bit of an adjustment. With the firmness in the fairways and the dew you get some skips off the fairway.

So a 250 run-out I could be -- a 4-iron might get to that 250 run-out. If I fly a 4-iron 220, say, could get a really big first skip and get there. You just got to be cautious. I've done a good job when I do get out of position, take my medicine.

But if you hit it in the fairway you can attack this place. I thought they played a few tougher pins today than yesterday. They tucked a few. Even if you get in the first cut, judging whether it's going to be a spinny or jumpy lie makes all the difference. So being in the fairway is huge out here.