Q. Viktor, off to a great start, trying to three-peat. Your love affair with Mayakoba continues?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it was an interesting day. I started on the back nine and made a nice birdie on 11, made a really nice up-and-down on 12. Hit in the middle of the fairway on 13 and thought I was going to add another birdie on the card, but hit a terrible shot in the water and made a bogey. The back nine was kind of, I hit a lot of good shots, made a birdie and then we just kind of would give it back right away. So the back nine was a little bit frustrating, but yeah, the front really put me back in the tournament, so that was a lot of fun.
Q. Couldn't ask for a better start for the defending champion, right?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, no, I think the last two years I've started 4 and 5 under, so even improved on that. And that was with -- obviously I made a couple putts and holed out from the bunker. Did a lot of good stuff today, but at the same time I felt like I hit some really bad shots, too. So I feel like there's still opportunities to improve.
Q. When you made the turn, where were you at maybe mentally, because you were fine, but obviously you turned it on through the front nine, which was of course your second nine.
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, like I just kept telling myself that I'm playing well. I was a little frustrated being only even par after that front nine making really nice birdies, but bogeying 13, that's usually -- I mean, that's two shots right there. Then hit it in the water on 17 as well and that just shouldn't happen. So I gave away a few shots on that side, but really happy on the back there.
Q. Have you and Scottie played much golf together this season?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: I would -- I can't quite remember where, but I feel like the last two years we've seen each other quite a bit, so yeah.
Q. (Inaudible.)
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, that's kind of what's funny about it. We only have five million people in Norway, but it seems everywhere I go and play there's always a couple Norwegians here and there. So it's nice to have them around, kind of feel like home a little bit.
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