Media Center Interviews

April 7, 2019

Final Round Quick Quotes with Corey Conners

Q. The unbelievable roller coaster that was today, I don't even know really where to start. Let's start with how it ends up finishing for you. No more Monday qualifiers, two-year exemption, all the things that come with it. A dream come true?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, definitely a dream come true. Still can't believe it. I don't know what to say. It was an amazing day. Yeah, I'm so excited.

Q. You won with four pars I think when it's all said and done. Walk me through how much of a roller coaster it really was. You were flagging it all week. I thought your ball-striking was about as good as we could ever see it, and boy, those birdies just piled up today when you needed them.

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, they sure did. I got off to a great start and made it difficult on myself on the end of the front nine, got out of position a few holes and made some bogeys. I was able to regroup going to the back nine and just tried to stay aggressive and put together a bunch of birdies.

Yeah, four pars, probably my lowest par total ever. I'm usually pretty good at making pars. Yeah, it's a crazy round. Glad I was hitting it well to make so many birdies.

Q. You've talked about how much you love the grind, you sort of appreciate being out there in that cauldron. What did you do to tell yourself mentally in the midway part of that round when you were really starting to have to grind?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, I just tried to think back to the last few days, all the great shots that I've hit and just say, hey, you can do it, just stay aggressive, trust yourself. I was able to do that and just take it one shot at a time and hit some good ones.

Q. You aren't going to take next week off now. How about this trip now, first time back since that amateur experience?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, it's unbelievable. The thought popped into my head a few times today obviously, but yeah, I'm really excited. It's going to be amazing to be playing really well, super excited.

Q. Corey, from Monday qualifying to earning your first PGA TOUR victory and the final invitation to the Masters, how are you digesting this?

COREY CONNERS: It hasn't really sunk in yet, it's amazing. So excited right now. No more Monday qualifiers, that's a big positive. Super excited, this is a dream come true and really happy with how I did today and glad we got it done.

Q. This round saw everything, a two-hour weather delay, you had four bogeys, you had to overcome them, six birdies on your final nine holes. How did you maintain that composure and focus?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, I just sort of reset after making the turn after 9 going to No. 10. Just told myself that I can do it, have trust in my game. Hit a lot of good shots and was able to make some birdies, rolled some good putts in and hit a lot of really quality shots. Yeah, it was quite a round.

Q. How about specifically those closing three holes? We've seen things go one way and very much the other. How did you do it?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah. On 16, obviously it's a famous hole. Had to be really aggressive with a 7-iron and I hit a really solid shot just a few feet away and made birdie.

Laid back on 17 to give myself a wedge into the green. Played it a little safe, but holed a nice putt there.

On 18, it's a three-shot hole and don't -- not sure -- I don't really remember that hole too much. Yeah, it was great.

Q. You've been in the final group a few times, you've come so close in October, a week after you got married. What was different about today?

COREY CONNERS: I just was really relaxed, had a lot of confidence in my game. Wasn't worried about what was going on around me, just tried to stay focused, keep breathing, and thought I did a really good job of that. I would say I definitely didn't get ahead of myself, just was really committed to my shots.