TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 26, 2026

Ben James

TPC River Highlands

Press Conference

Q. Ben, let's start with the round today. Clean card, 6-under 64. What are your thoughts?

BEN JAMES: Yeah, started off a little slow. I knew when they're going to play the ball up today, it's going to be a low-scoring day. You put these guys a ball in hand, it's going to be a low number.

Kind of got off it a slow start and just happy I kind of stayed patient. Kept hitting it to 15 feet fat side and just kind of waited for the putter to heat up. It's kind of what happened on the back nine.

Q. Statistically putter was good today. Short game was good today. Off the tee was good today. Statistically right now partway through the round you're losing a stroke approach. We talked Wednesday. You said approach is the best part of your game. What did you make of your approach today?

BEN JAMES: Yeah, I think just I had, like, a 70-yarder on 2. We thought it was going to skip. Kind of spun off the green. So that's probably close to a half shot there.

Then on 4 I just kind of wiped an 8-iron right, but got those both up-and-down. Just kind of happy how I grinded after the early kind of struggles.

Q. What part of your game are you most happy with today, off the tee or on the green or putting?

BEN JAMES: I mean, I putted nice. I had a couple of chips throughout the day that I got them all up-and-down, so that's nice, but you know, I drove it great, too.

It was a nice, steady day, and just kind of happy how I stayed patient even though I kind of got off to that slow start.

Q. Whether it's golf shots or mental, whatever, because we're not focused on results, we're focused on getting better, what did you do better today than you did yesterday?

BEN JAMES: Yeah, I played the same. I just talked to Tim about it, my caddie. We were, like, we played the same. Obviously I finished better. I just made a couple more putts. That's really it.

I played great yesterday. Just kind of finished poorly and finished good today.

Q. Did you handle the crowd better than you did yesterday? Maybe yesterday you were more nervous on the first tee; today less nervous. Anything like that?

BEN JAMES: I mean, yeah, but I was fine yesterday. I got off to a great start yesterday. I was very pleased how the first nine we want.

Like I said, I played the same as yesterday. Just made a few more putts and finished better. That's really it. But it was a good day.

Q. Can you talk about the crowd support today?

BEN JAMES: Yeah, another awesome day. It was really special. My grandma and mom, that little shack up there by the first tee, they took my grandma up there, so that was really cool. It was nice to stripe one in front of her. So that was a really special memory that they did that for me, so that was awesome.

Q. Was your grandma here yesterday?

BEN JAMES: She was not.

Q. Will she be here tomorrow?

BEN JAMES: I don't know. Probably not, but maybe.

Q. Do you know how old your grandma is?

BEN JAMES: I got two. This one is, I think, 87, yeah. The other one is 93. She can't make it, unfortunately, but yeah.

Q. When is the last time she saw you play golf in person?

BEN JAMES: College. She saw me play at my home tournament because she could get a cart, so that was a couple of months ago. Three, four months allege ago. So pretty recent.

She just can't walk, so -- I mean, she can. She just needs a cart to get around the golf course.

Q. But this is her first round of you as a professional?

BEN JAMES: Yes, correct.