JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 3, 2026

Eric Cole

TPC Deere Run

Quick Quotes

Q. Quite a comeback today.

ERIC COLE: Thank you.

Q. What was your thought in the morning as you started the round, and how did that thought change as you went along?

ERIC COLE: Yeah, it was just like kind of had nothing to lose. You know, I played so poorly yesterday that I was just going to try and obviously shoot as low as I can and hopefully get in a spot to potentially make the cut, but you know, more just like have a day to work on my game and try and make some improvements and see where my game is at.

Yeah, it was a good day.

Q. Is there a new swing thought or an adjustment or club change?

ERIC COLE: No, no new swing thoughts. I used a whole new set of irons today. Didn't use my 5-wood. I used my 2-iron for the Scottish next week to kind of get it some reps.

So, yeah, changed a couple of things up. It was good.

Q. Was there anything that you saw yesterday that just approach-wise attack the hole that you did differently that worked out today?

ERIC COLE: Not really. Yesterday I just played badly. Yeah, I think I was just making bad swings, for whatever reason yesterday, and got here a little bit earlier today and tried to work on it a little. I think that might have helped.

Q. A whole new set of irons. Can you walk us through that process?

ERIC COLE: I mean, I'd rather not, but I will. I was frustrated yesterday and bent one of my irons. I was due to get a new set, so I kind of text the PXG people, and they overnighted me a set of irons. So, yeah, they were much better today, so we'll go with that.

Q. You've had so many close calls this year and years past. How do you keep your mindset to where you just keep battling back and keep grinding? Today kind of felt like a microcosm of that.

ERIC COLE: Well, thank you. Yeah, no, I just am trying to kind of put my best foot forward and keep doing the right things, and hopefully, you know, as far as winning, that will happen eventually if I'm there more often.

So, yeah, I'm focused on the kind of little stuff in between the rounds and while I'm out there playing to just kind of, yeah, just do my best and see where that takes me.

Q. Golf is such a bipolar game. You shot 76 yesterday. You shoot 63 today. Was there any conversations with your caddie, with your team, or anything about a difference in game plan, or was it just I'm just going to go play and just turned out well?

ERIC COLE: Yeah, no, it was just kind of the same game plan. You know, obviously maybe I was a little more aggressive today just being in that spot, but yeah, no change in game plan. I just played better, so I was very happy to see that kind of starting off with making a long putt on the first hole and eagling the second.

Getting off to that kind of start is almost what you need to shoot a low round here. I was very welcomed to that start.

Q. Seems unusual to put a new set of irons in mid-tournament. Any adjustment? Have you done that before?

ERIC COLE: No, no, I usually use maybe one set of irons for the whole year, but mine were just kind of a little bit beat up. I was talking about maybe switching them out about a month ago, three weeks ago.

So when my 8-iron was no longer straight, I figured this is a nice opportunity to switch them all out, so that was my theory.

Q. Same model, same specs?

ERIC COLE: They're exactly the same, yeah. I just have this thing where, you know, so if all your clubs are on the older side or have been used a lot, let's say, and then you get a brand new 8-iron, you know, it almost looks like it doesn't fit the rest of the set.

I'm the same way with wedges. When I change one, I kind of like to change all of them. That was my theory.

Q. 2-iron work pretty good?

ERIC COLE: Yeah, it was. I hit it twice today. Both good shots. I don't really use a 2-iron, so I just kind of -- got it made up this week in preparation for the Scottish next week. So it was nice to hit it and it go well.