MYRTLE BEACH CLASSIC

May 8, 2026

Sam Ryder

Dunes Golf and Beach Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Sam, just talk about your round. That was a pretty interesting round. Looked like you were 3-over after four holes to start the day. Then what happened after that?

SAM RYDER: Yeah, it was tough this morning. I mean, it was a little different golf course, different wind, northeast. It was blowing, chilly.

Yeah, I knew it was going to shift a little bit. I didn't really panic. I got off to a bad start, you know, bogeying my first hole, which is not one of the harder holes out there. Then wiped a 3-wood and doubled 13.

Just kind of stayed patient. I was kind of driving it. I didn't know where the driver was going early on, and then I kind of got into a good rhythm.

I've been feeling really good with my iron play, so I just kind of started to put myself in the fairway and then from there I could kind of attack. I was able to control the ball, but you can't really do anything from the rough out here.

It's a good, little golf course where you've got to drive it well, and the greens are tough, so there's a little undulation. So I was able to get in a little rhythm.

I made a couple of birdies to finish my front nine, which I think kind of saved kind of the momentum a little bit where I didn't feel like I had to press too hard. Then kind of stayed patient. You know, cliche. It was nice to make a couple of saves on the par-3s on the front, my back nine, to say save par, so...

THE MODERATOR: Mentally how challenging is it when you do start, not to the expectation that you want to start and then you have to turn it around? How challenging is that?

SAM RYDER: Yeah, I think we all have struggled with our expectations. Especially if you feel like you're starting to play well and turn the corner and you have a solid first round, and then you get out there, and you know, you try not to think about it too much, but you know, I want to get into contention and try and put myself in a good spot after the first two rounds heading into the weekend.

Everything kind of goes out the window. It's kind of like you have a plan until you get punched in the face. That's kind of what happened today. So I kind of just was just trying to figure out how to get the ball in the fairway and just, you know, all the cliche things, was telling myself in my head just to be able to stay patient and knew I was going to get opportunities, but I just had to take it one shot at a time.

That was my goal was to get the ball in the fairway.

THE MODERATOR: You've played here twice before and hit some pretty solid performances, but a lot of rounds in the 60s. What is it about this golf course that fits your game, and when you come here this week, how confident are you knowing that you've played well here in the past?

SAM RYDER: Yeah, you know, I was I wouldn't say surprised, but I was happy when I came here the first year they had the tournament to see the golf course. It always looked good to my eye, and I think it's kind of classic the way some of the holes are shaped.

It's really well-maintained, Bermuda, which I'm comfortable with coming from Florida. I felt like if I can get on the greens, that's a strength is to putt well on the Bermuda greens.

I think it's just being able to really see my shots, and I think that's what I kind of -- they frame the holes really well out here. The fairways, everything is in front of you. There's some difficult tee shots, but everything is in front of you. That's the kind of golf I like.

THE MODERATOR: How would you assess your season so far, and how important is this week in your season?

SAM RYDER: Yeah, it's been a very different season for me kind of playing out of my category. I've been trying to just be optimistic about, you know, glass half full.

In a lot of ways I've had more rest, so physically I feel good. I think that's a big part of being in my ninth season now and being 36. Feeling physically good each week and just being excited for the opportunities that I get.

Obviously we all want to be at Quail Hollow this week playing against the best players in the world, but I'm happy to be playing. I'm happy to be playing at a place that I feel pretty comfortable. I love my job still, and I want to keep doing it as long as I can.

I'm just trying to bring that attitude and just try and make the most of my opportunities, but not put too much pressure. I think sometimes when you are playing in that conditional category, you get a start, and you feel like I have to play great. I'm just trying to just prepare the best way.

I feel like my game, if I'm playing well, can stack up with some of the better players in the world. You know, that's just kind of my mentality right now.

THE MODERATOR: Just a little off topic, but you're pretty well known and famous for the ace at the WM in Phoenix. How often do you get a comment each day about that ace and fans reaching out to you or anything?

SAM RYDER: I mean, every pro-am for sure. It's one of the first things people ask me about.

I was in Scottsdale visiting my girlfriend's family, and I was at Whole Foods, and I was at the salad bar, and especially in Scottsdale, too. Someone comes up to me, and they're, like, Hey, man, big fan, love hole-in-ones.

I'm so glad I had that moment. It was really cool in my career, and to share it with the fans and have it be such a fun, positive thing I think has been really great.

Q. You had mentioned fighting to find the fairways today. Is that something? Is that a mental challenge, physical challenge for you out there, or a little bit of both?

SAM RYDER: It's a little bit of both. I think golfers, we like to always make it physical and technical. That's the easiest thing for us to control is to go hit more balls and work on our technique or blame things, but there's definitely -- it's kind of like a chicken and the egg a little bit.

It can be a positive snowball. If you get some confidence from practicing and you start to see some balls go in the fairway, now they start for look a little bigger where. Even if you are potentially doing all the right things physically or technically with your swing, sometimes, you know, the conditions or the unsettled nature of playing out here on tour makes it a little harder.

I drove it well down the stretch, and it was kind of like I just had confidence in what I was doing, and I think it was basically I was leaning on my technical that got me into a positive mental mindset, if that makes sense.

Q. Was there anything in particular that happened today that allowed you to get to that, or was there a shot that you --

SAM RYDER: Well, I drove it in the fairway on -- I drove it in the fairway on 15, which was the par-5. Was able to hit a really good shot up there and made birdie. That kind of settled me in I think.

Then, you know, drove it in the fairway on 18. Then from that point I kind of drove is really well. Also, technically in course management-wise I was just really trying to -- I knew -- you kind of every day almost have to assess what game you have. Maybe if you are Scottie Scheffler it's different, but for me it's not always the same.

I felt like I could lean on, like, a cut shot off the tee, and even some of the holes that kind of set up for more of a draw, I just committed to that shot knowing that that's kind of what I had today. It's both, like you asked.

Q. Given the course conditions and the way that maybe the wind might blow, you're in 6-under through 36 holes. Where do you think that might stack up at the end of date?

SAM RYDER: I think there's going to be some good scores this afternoon. I mean, it was tough this morning. It was chilly, and it was blowing out of the northeast, the north and then the northeast.

It's going to swing around kind of to the south and southeast and be a little warmer. Ball is going to go a little farther. Yeah, I think the majority of the leaderboard after the first round came from the morning yesterday, because it was kind of benign, and we had to play through some rain. You know, not feeling sorry for myself, but that's just kind of the way it shook up.

I'm happy with the way I battled, and I can't control that, but I think there's probably going to be some good scores this afternoon. I think there's going to be guys get 10-, 11-, maybe even 12-under. I think where I'm at I'm within striking distance for sure.