JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 4, 2025

Taylor Montgomery

TPC Deere Run

Quick Quotes

Q. Rounds of 67 and 65 in the books. How do you asses overall your opening two rounds?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Played solid. I mean, right now comes down to the driver. I drove it pretty well today. Still hit a couple really bad ones, but other than that, I'm happy with where I'm at.

I feel like I've been playing pretty good back home, so it's nice to put it into a tournament.

Q. I remember last fall we talked and you were frustrated with your game, particularly your driver. What has changed this week that led to better feels and better results?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: I don't know. Maybe just getting a little lucky. Who knows. But it's been coming around. I drive it really good in the practice rounds. If I can just get that kind of same feeling and same mentality and not make it such a big deal out here on the PGA TOUR I think I could have some good finishes.

Q. I know it's been a challenging last year or so. How have you kept things in perspective? You just mentioned it right there, making things less of a big deal.

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Yeah, I mean, coming back from injury is never easy. I thought it would be easier than what it was. All the guys are saying, don't rush to come back, but you want to play, so soon as I started to feel a little better I came back and played; just didn't play well.

So hopefully -- no matter what, even if I lost my card or whatever, I'll continue to play golf, so just try my hardest and try to get better.

Q. What is the feeling to put yourself high up on the leaderboard like you have going into the weekend? I mean, you've come close to winning before. You know you're capable.

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: No, it's great. I mean, like I said earlier, kind of if I can get the driver kind of in play or at least feel solid with the driver and like the longer irons I can compete with all these guys.

Inside 100 yards I'm pretty solid, so just being able to -- and it's being able to do it for four days. I put it together for three, three and a half rounds, but it's those bad ones that get to you.

Just trying to have four solid days of golf; eliminate the bogeys, which is a lot easier from the middle of the fairway; and just kind of see what you finish at the end of the week.

Q. You seem to be one of the most happy-go-lucky guys on TOUR. You always have a smile on your face. Where does that joy come from?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Probably my parents. We have a pretty good family back home, so it's nice to laugh and not be so miserable. Even though sometimes they would probably say that I'm too serious, which around my parents I can be.

But I just like to have a good time and I try to not make it so serious, but I want to win so bad that you make it as serious as possible.

Q. Is that why that makes you emotional, feels like you want to win so bad?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: I mean, not really. You practice every day to win, so it would be nice to get one of those soon.

Q. You talked about the hard work you've been putting in. What have you been working on here in your game?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: A lot of swing stuff. I haven't putted as good this year just because I've been hitting a bunch of golf balls.

Actually the last month I haven't hit as many golf balls. Just been trying to like visualize the shot and kind of hit it.

And then the putter, just kind of went back to working on my putter a little bit more. It's starting to come around.

But been working -- I lean into it and get a little too steep and I still do that. It's like a comfort thing. So I think the more reps -- like in the practice rounds I don't do it as much; back home I don't do it as much.

Obviously the added pressure of a tournament or thinking you need to hit the ball in the fairway or however, it kind of reverts back to that bad move.

So hopefully over time and practice I can kind of get that out of my repertoire.

Q. How satisfied have the first two days been for you? Seems like the hard work is paying off Thursday and Friday.

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Yeah, I haven't had the results this year. I also switched golf balls this week. I think that's helped quite a bit off the tee and around the green just with like spin and, I don't know, maybe that's helped a little bit.

Into the wind I was spinning the ball back a lot this year. It's hard hitting wedges on the PGA TOUR because the pins are so tucked and you have to hit these dinky wedge shots to not spin it back, especially this year, because we've had some weather and the greens have been soft.

So I think just changing the golf ball has helped a little bit with those shots.

Q. What ball were you playing and what are you playing now? What did you switch to?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: I tried to copy Scottie Scheffler, so I was using the 21 ProV1. Didn't play as good as him with that ball, so it's not the ball. It's Scottie.

Then I have put the Left Dot in play this week because it spins more here. Back home that 21 ProV in Vegas is awesome. It's dry and the greens with typically firm at Shadow. You don't have to really worry about too much spin; whereas like you get to the humid like bent fairways, and I feel like my irons spin a little bit too much.

Q. What is your mindset heading into the weekend?

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY: Kind of just the same. Work on the driver a little bit and kind of try to make as many putts as possible.