Media Center Interviews
April 4, 2024
First Round Interview with Justin Lower
Q. Justin, what about your play today (inaudible)?
JUSTIN LOWER: Yeah, I just, I feel like I didn't hit it great but I managed my game pretty well. Obviously I putted well and my short game was on, which I've been working very hard on those things, so it's nice to see the hard work pay off.
Q. To put together a bogey-free round on a course like this, what does it take?
JUSTIN LOWER: I just, basically just back to the short game and everything, it can really save you around a place like this. Luckily, the rough isn't too penalizing. If it was five inches everywhere, I don't think we'd finish probably with the wind and everything. Yeah, I just, yeah, my short game's been great, my putting's finally starting to come around. Hopefully, it continues that trend and yeah, I'm extremely proud of the round.
Q. Is there anything to playing on your birthday? Does it add some good vibes?
JUSTIN LOWER: A little bit. I feel like it's kind of weird playing on your birthday, but it's just
kind of the way it is. Kind of the nature of our job, I guess.
Q. What was the big difference for you today to maybe have such a stronger showing compared to maybe some moments of frustration in recent weeks?
JUSTIN LOWER: I think I know what you're referring to, but no, like that moment of frustration that probably a lot of people saw, I wasn't feeling great. I had been not sick, but just battling kind of physical ailments, I had like a trap thing going on and I was just really frustrated. It was my I think fifth in a row. I know better than to play four in a row.
And I'm human, we're all human out here. I just had a moment of frustration.
We went home after that round and it was just nice to be home and sleep in my own bed for a couple nights. Then we went down to Houston and I played solid last week, it was nothing great. But yeah, I just needed a moment, I guess.
Q. How much of a difference was it last week just having taken that time to refresh?
JUSTIN LOWER: It was nice. Anytime you can get home and sleep in your own bed, it was
nice. I was extremely thankful to do that.
Q. Just quickly, the putts at 17 especially after that, what does that do for your confidence? I know it's one of your strengths always, but in that case with such a great round, what does that mean to you to make a couple of putts coming in?
JUSTIN LOWER: Seventeen was nice for sure. I messed up the second shot obviously, I was trying to just kill it right over that hill and have it trickle down to the pin. You know, it was just, it's a tough putt over and under and with the wind and everything -- or over and -- yeah, up and over, it's just really tough.
You know, Tim, I do want to say I've done a lot of good things in my game and you just kind of threw me under the bus with an article about just one bad moment. Going to be honest, I don't really appreciate that.
Q. And going back to my mistake was Malone and Akron. This was a little balmy, but a very northeast Ohio kind of day today?
JUSTIN LOWER: Yeah, in the morning for sure. In the morning for sure, yeah. It was fine. I'm used to the cold so it just kind of is what it is. Yeah, just kind of go from there.
Q. Obviously you've had a couple of great moments this year, third in Mexico, other things like that. Now you're the hunted instead of the hunter a little bit, a little bit of an unfamiliar position. Kind of what's your mindset going into tomorrow?
JUSTIN LOWER: Yeah, I don't know if I'm the hunted at all. I'm still a, quote unquote, mule out here as compared to other guys, but I'm just trying to play as best as I can, I'm trying to learn as much as I can ever day. I find myself watching guys on the range just to see if I can pick anything up, stuff like that, and around the greens especially. I've learned a lot and I feel like I'm kind of coming into my own finally. Yeah, I'm happy to be here, for sure.
Q. What are we doing for your birthday tonight?
JUSTIN LOWER: So my cousin introduced me to a good barbecue spot called Blanco BBQ, so that's where we're going tonight.
