BILTMORE CHAMPIONSHIP

September 17, 2026

Ben Kohles

The Cliffs at Walnut Cove

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Ben, 6-under 65. Excellent start. If we can just get some comments on your round.

BEN KOHLES: Yeah, solid. Just gave myself a bunch of chances. Fairways and green, kind of just doing what I do, playing my game.

Had a nice chip in and made a few good putts, and, yeah, here we are.

Q. Three straight, 15, 16, 17. Take us through those holes.

BEN KOHLES: Yeah, 15 is pretty reachable par-5. Hit a solid shot on the green there and had a two-putt.

16 was playing pretty good this morning, especially with the wind kind of gusting up. Honestly kind of pulled my shot right at it. Luckily just went long. There maybe two yards long is in the water, so luckily had a good lie and I was pretty close to the hole so it wasn't too hard of a chip.

Yeah, 17 got a good break just staying just short of the bunker. Caught kind of a flier so I really missed it in not a great spot long left of the green, but rolling in a 20-footer is always a nice bonus, so feel like I stole one there.

Q. Only bogey of day No. 2. Talk about that.

BEN KOHLES: Yeah, just hit a great shot. That hole is playing pretty long. I hit a hybrid; had about 228; it was gusting pretty good straight into the wind.

Left myself in the perfect spot just right of the green and had a 360 lip-out from about four or five feet.

Yeah, hit it where I wanted, just didn't go in; just keep doing more of that.

Q. New event, new course. How did the course hold up today?

BEN KOHLES: I love it up here. North Carolina native so it's always good to be in your home state. Yeah, I really love the layout of the course. The fairways are pretty generous. The greens were definitely more receptive earlier in the week. They are not firm by any means, but they had some good skips this morning I feel like with just a little bit cooler temperatures.

So, yeah, I'm very happy with the round.

Q. Moved to North Carolina when you were ten.

BEN KOHLES: Yeah.

Q. How long have you this one circled on your calendar?

BEN KOHLES: Yeah, honestly the beginning of the year I didn't know what I had circled. I was trying to figure out where I was going to play, and the good play has kind of taken care of itself and I'm very happy to be out here and playing this fall.

Q. Yeah, talk a little bit about your good play. Seven straight top 30s on the PGA Tour.

BEN KOHLES: Yeah.

Q. Really solid play over the last few months.

BEN KOHLES: Yeah, for sure. I've just been just really playing my game. I had a new caddie about three months ago, three four months ago, and he's been really good for me out there.

Yeah, just feel like I'm just staying in my own lane and playing my game. The putter has been something that was kind of a struggle the last few years and it's definitely been back to a strength like it usually is.

It's been a big help.

Q. No. 96 in the FedExCup. How excited are you for the fall?

BEN KOHLES: Yeah, very excited. It's always good to play on the PGA Tour, so very fortunate and thankful I've gotten to this point. Just looking to keep playing my game and see what happens.