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ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS


April 28, 2012


Ryan Palmer


AVONDALE, LOUISIANA

Q.  Great playing out there today.  Did you see this coming?
RYAN PALMER:  I have been, actually.  Today, not necessarily but a tournament somewhere.  I've been hitting the ball so good lately and fighting a lot of putts.  I had an unbelievable start on Tuesday when "Mario" was here.  I switched to a Super Stroke Red, smallest one Odyssey and, man, what a change it made.  It took a few days to get comfortable with it but hoping it continues.

Q.  Yes, it did.  I have to ask you about the break on 18.
RYAN PALMER:  Some of these bunkers pissed me off.  I bounced -- bounce it took, it went more in the middle.  It went more forward.
It was a bad rake job.  It was in between some little holes and all.  You know, it's one of those deals you get a bad break here and there, made par and it was fine.

Q.  It was a good par save.  What do you think about the conditions for the afternoon, where you're going to be at the end of the day?
RYAN PALMER:  I told James, get to 14, you know, get 3, 4 back.  That is what I was expecting.  You don't know.  Wind is steady up there.  The back-9 is not quite as easy.
So you know, we'll see where I stand.  I'm expecting to be three, four back.  If I'm closer than that, great.

Q.  Do you want the wind to blow tomorrow?
RYAN PALMER:  Yeah, I do.  I know I can do some birdies.  I'll take it.

Q.  All told, this was a -- you know, 64, very good this week.  Ties the course record.  What were you feeling as you continue to --
       RYAN PALMER:  It was awesome.  I knew it was coming.  I've been hitting the ball so good lately, just hasn't been making the putts.  Did some work Tuesday with "Mario" for quite awhile, switched to the smallest grip.  It's helped.  The last few days trying to get comfortable with it and today the flood gates opened up.

Q.  What specifically clicked then with that grip?  Where did you start to feel better?
RYAN PALMER:  Stick my hands out a little more.  I'm a forward press kind of putter and I took it out, forward press out.  I'm seeing the ball roll a lot more smooth, lot more truer.  So, finally get to the middle of the hole.

Q.  Did you feel like you had to go out and put up the course record today to jump back in?
RYAN PALMER:  There's no doubt.  I knew 17, 18-under was my idea at the end of tomorrow.  So, I knew it was going to take at least 13, 14 for the two days and -- I knew it was there.
It was a matter of just making the putts.  I hit it great today.  Didn't miss many 3 greens and I putted awesome.

Q.  Made the strong run and finish this thing the way you want tomorrow?
RYAN PALMER:  I think so.  At the Masters I hit it great for four days.  San Antonio I hit it pretty good for four days.  I know my ball striking is there.
Get a good warm up tomorrow.  It's a matter of getting it close.  I finally opened the flood gates today.  So, the work I put in prior to this week, the putter grip change and things are great.

Q.  We've seen a lot of low scores and course records here.  Is that surprising, because we don't normally see that from this course from year to year?
RYAN PALMER:  The wind isn't blowing quite as hard and the par-5s are reachable.  The greens are perfect.  The course is in perfect shape.
And when you get conditions like that guys are going to shoot low and make a lot of birdies.  If I can make some more tomorrow, give myself a chance to win.

Q.  Do you think you have to have another performance like today?  I think Dufner is at 15 right now.  He's having a pretty good round.
Do you think you have to have another pretty substantial near course record round, do you have to follow up with what you did today?
RYAN PALMER:  I don't think I need a course record-style round.  My idea going into today, I need to get to 18 total for the next two days and I might have a chance.  So, I might be three, four back but today is obviously moving today for a lot of guys.  Tomorrow it gets a little more tense.
If I go out -- I'm not going to put a number.  If I can get to -- it's probably going to take 18 to get there 5, 6-under, see what happens.

Q.  I know you played with Sean Payton in the Pro-Am.  We had a report that he was following your group.
RYAN PALMER:  He was out yesterday.  We've become good friends the last few years.  Played together last year.  He treated a couple of us to Green Bay last year, sideline and everything.  It was a home game last year.  He came out yesterday and followed about 8 holes.  Maybe get him back here to watch tomorrow.

Q.  Any chance he's going to be sending you a text message or calling you, words of wisdom or advice to motivate you?
RYAN PALMER:  He'll give me a few thoughts this afternoon for sure.

Q.  Y'all live in the same subdivision?
RYAN PALMER:  We're members of the same club.  We play at home together a little bit.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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