THE 154TH OPEN

July 16, 2026

John Parry

Mixed Zone

Q. John, how would you reflect on the round today?

JOHN PARRY: Solid. Good. It was tricky this afternoon. We got to the 4th hole and the wind turned. I had not played that wind before. It was a bit of a guessing game. It was a lot of tee shots crosswind. You feel like how firm the fairways are, you feel like you've got a half fairway to aim in because it's just running across fairways all the time. It always seemed to be -- not every hole, but a lot of wrong crosswinds for the shape of the hole, so you feel like you have to shape it a lot. It was tricky, but pretty pleased.

Q. The course has been set up fairly, hasn't it? It was a good challenge?

JOHN PARRY: It was a challenge. They kept the greens pretty soft as well, considering when you look at the fairways. When you say this is tricky, it's not -- you know, it's a normal links breeze. It's not that windy, is it. It's absolutely perfect, the setup.

Q. Given how hard it is, like bouncy with the ball, how difficult is it to control it?

JOHN PARRY: Really hard. Into the greens, not so bad if you're on the fairway. When you start missing fairways, you just lose all -- even with the greens being a little bit softer, you lose it all control, especially downwind. It's a perfect setup. But hopefully -- I'm first out tomorrow, so hopefully, fingers crossed, you get the best of it and it sort of evens itself out.

Q. It's interesting we talk about the conditions. This morning there was a lot of low scores. Obviously it's evened up a bit with the weather, hasn't it?

JOHN PARRY: Yeah, I don't know what the afternoon -- well, we're not even really afternoon. It was still the morning when we teed off. The guys late, late are going to have it really hard as it firms up. Looking at the forecast, it's almost going to be like the perfect match, isn't it? Everyone who goes out in the morning has a chance tomorrow. Hopefully wind's down and the greens will be softer. The fairways, I know they're still yellow, but they'll be softening up this afternoon.

Q. What do you do now, go away, food, early night?

JOHN PARRY: Yeah, I'm teeing off soon, aren't I? I'm going to see my putting coach, do just five minutes with him just to double-check things, then get a bit of food, see the physio and go back.

Q. What time is the alarm set for tomorrow morning?

JOHN PARRY: I haven't thought about it. It's going to be about 4:00 a.m., I think. Be worth it when I get here, though. It will be nice.

Q. What is the level of (indiscernible)?

JOHN PARRY: Yeah, obviously a lot of good -- knowing you can compete. Then I guess the other thing, it's a tough course. You know you're coming into a tough course. You know you can do what you have to do.

I think as well, I think the PGA TOUR, I don't feel is -- obviously it's a bit -- it doesn't feel it's overwhelming. We don't get crowds -- in general, it's not as busy but there's always crowds. There's a lot going on.

Q. When we spoke a few months back, you talk about chipping bring the big area that you found difficult on the PGA TOUR. Are you making inroads in that area?

JOHN PARRY: I think so, a little bit, yeah. I see even like little things where I've looked into it, it's like more out of the rough, where I'm on the fairways and tight lines I'm actually good. I'm gaining around the greens, so I'm actually doing good. It's that one area in the rough where I could get better.

Obviously it's hard when you're back home as well. You don't really get to practice at that same grass, but hopefully I'm getting there.

Q. And that U.S. Open some good points in the red at a tough one?

JOHN PARRY: Yes, exactly. It was a good little -- I was sort of playing nice and steady but not doing anything, like gaining loads of points. If you finish 30th every week, you're not making much headway. So yeah, big help. Sort of a good boost to come into the next few events.

Q. Just looking beyond this week, are you going to play as many events as you can to try and get in?

JOHN PARRY: There's three more after this before the playoffs start. I might as well play it. If I get it, perfect. If not, I get a break. You just slug it out the next few weeks. Fingers crossed, I get in it. If not, it's all good.

Then I'll come back, have a break, maybe play in Europe and head back out.