THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2023

Christiaan Bezuidenhout

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes - Round 2

Q. Christiaan, how would you assess your play during the resumption today?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: I was a bit off this morning. Body felt a bit slow on the course. Hit a couple of bad tee shots and made two bogeys coming in.

Yeah, all in all it was a solid second round. Yesterday I played really, really well, so yeah, it's a positive going into round 3.

Q. How differently did this golf course play this morning after all that rain yesterday?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, I mean, it was obviously playing a lot longer this morning. It was a little bit cold, a little bit of different wind, and it's awfully soft, as well. A little bit longer -- hit it in the rough now, there's no chance of advancing it 150-plus yards.

But yeah.

Q. How much of an advantage do you think it was to play these few holes this morning knowing that for most of the day it's probably going to be like that, and you might be able to take on some pins if you're in the fairway that you couldn't the first two days?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, so the greens are definitely more receptive than the previous two rounds. You're going to see a lot more guys going for flags now that they wouldn't have gone for if it wasn't for the rain.

But yeah, if you keep the ball in the fairway, especially now with the wet rough, you can attack the flags and give yourself opportunities.

Q. What have you been doing really well the first two days?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: I've been holing out well, rolling the ball well on the greens. I've also been hitting a lot of fairways. You can play a golf course like this out of the fairway. But with the softer greens now, if you miss a fairway, even if you're coming in with a shorter club, you can also be able to hold the greens, as well.

Q. I know you played well here in 2020. Do you think in a way this place owes you a little bit of a good finish here?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, I mean, it's obviously been good memories here. This golf course suits my eye, especially off the tee. These greens are so good, so if you get your putter running well, you can hole a lot of putts.

Q. What are some of the things that you've learned off Ernie with what he's achieved in the game?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, I've been fortunate to be close to him. He's been a role model of mine ever since I've played golf, started the game. Just to spend some time with him, learn the ropes on the PGA TOUR, it's a long way away from home, especially for the South Africans, but to have a guy like Ernie here in the States that you can just go to for some advice and just to play a few rounds together, yeah, it's been a tremendous help in my game over the last few years, especially here in the States and also growing up.

Q. Did playing in the Presidents Cup, was that an experience at all that maybe moved your career along, learned some things from it?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, definitely. That was useful for me to have made the team. It was definitely one of my goals at the start of last year, to make that team, and it was a privilege to have played under Captain Immelman and under the shield, as well, for the international side. Hopefully I can make many more sides in the future.