PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 16, 2026

Chris Kirk

Aronimink Golf Club

Flash Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Chris Kirk is with us now at the 108th PGA Championship. Chris, 65 for you today. How would you summarize your third round?

CHRIS KIRK: Really good. Obviously finishing with a double on 18 stings a little bit, but played some really great golf, and nice to see some putts go in.

Putting has been a little bit of a struggle for me so far this year. It was nice to just have a day where I felt like I was seeing the lines good and rolling it nice.

Had a number of putts that, despite all the ones I made, still, a handful of other ones that looked like they could have gone in. So, yeah, it was nice.

Q. I'm just curious, it's such a bunched leaderboard. What were you thinking last night? Were you thinking, just calm conditions, I can go out and maybe light up the front and take it from there?

CHRIS KIRK: Obviously that's what you're always trying to do on a Saturday morning, I guess. It's funny when we played the -- I can't even remember what the tournament was called that we played here in 2011, and it was -- the tournament was normally played at Congressional.

I played -- I remember playing pretty decent the first couple days, but nothing special, and I shot 63 or 64 or something like that on Saturday, kind of the same deal, and played really great and played myself kind of up into contention.

So I have some good memories from that and was able to put a similar performance out there today.

Q. I was wondering when you finished 7, if the mindset is this is one of those days we're going to let things happen and go with it, or you were pushing anything?

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, I played really aggressive on the back nine. I was basically firing at every pin. That's kind of always my mindset.

I'd say, when I'm not playing particularly well, I tend to play much more conservative, and when I do have a day where I'm hitting it really nice and making putts, then I'm going to just try to keep the pedal down as long as I can.

I was trying to make that putt from the front fringe on 18. It just doesn't always work out that way. Yeah, I definitely kind of lean towards, when things are going well, to try and push it a little bit and get more aggressive.

Q. I see a smile on your face, so after that one on18, the disappointment didn't last that much, I guess. You had a great round today, no?

CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, like I said, it stings to finish like that, but I think it will be pretty easy for me to look at this round and see all the really overwhelming positives much more so than that one.

Q. Chris, we're already seeing a lot of lower scores out there today in addition to yours. What's the biggest difference so far in today's setup versus Thursday and Friday's? Is it the pin locations or something else?

CHRIS KIRK: Pin locations is a big difference, for sure. There's a handful of really tough ones out there still, but for the most part, they're much, much more accessible than they have been the last few days.

The wind is definitely picking up out there, but it's a little bit less wind and much warmer, which for me makes a massive difference just playing in warmer temperatures.

I was laughing, on Thursday I teed off in the morning, and it was really cold, and it was really cold yesterday in the morning as well. The difficulties I've had with my back over the last few years, those cold mornings are just so difficult.

Like I did such a great job in the gym and on the range Thursday morning and like really getting loose, really getting ready to go. On the 1st tee, I felt great. I piped it right down the middle on the 1st hole, and by the 3rd hole, I felt like I had a fat suit on, or like one of those T-Rex inflatables trying to swing the golf club, because it just was cold. The younger guys may not have that same problem, but it just really was a struggle just trying to get my body to move in those colder temperatures. So a nice warm day like today helps me a lot.