Q. It's got to be one of the more surprising 67s you've signed for. We had you pegged at 59 watch going to 15, then that big lead falls back. You've competed at the highest levels of the sport. How do you explain a day like that?
MATT KUCHAR: Listen, this course has some trickiness to it. That 15th hole is one I think we all have circled I think this could be a big number and for me it was today.
Listen, it's golf. Every hole has the same value, the same importance to it. I shoot 5 under and you could look at it multiple different ways. I shot 5 under today, played really good golf. I really like the state of my game, so here I am. I'm pretty good at letting that stuff roll off my back. I let that one roll off my back and go try to play some good golf tomorrow.
Q. Did the pace of play at all on the back side, the guys were debating on the broadcast if that was a factor whatsoever?
MATT KUCHAR: Listen, you play golf out here long enough, I've been playing a little while, you kind of have to get used to it. It's something that I think we all just know is part of playing golf on the PGA TOUR. So we've been part of some very, very slow rounds and if you can't get used to this, you're in for a long road on the PGA TOUR.
Q. Matt, I know it was a day filled with some hills, some valleys, but the bottom line, you shot 67. You started the day two shots out of the lead, you begin the final round tied for the lead.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, that's right, that's right. That's certainly how I'm looking at it. I'm playing some good golf, I'm very pleased with the state of my game. I had it rolling nicely, it was a lot of fun out there.
One bad swing is probably all I made. That drive on 15, tried to ride the wind. I'm not typically one to try to hit draws and I hit a hook in the junk, and then from there 15 can kind of creep up and kind of get you.
I thought I hit a decent approach and wind took it left of the green. I think everybody saw that. But that's one you have circled, like that's a bad spot. There wasn't much I could do with my first two shots. It was a place where I was just in a bad situation, bad lies, bad everything. Ended up walking off with an 8.
Up and down for bogey on the next. I think the 16th hole is a really cool hole, that par 3. I ended up making a bogey, but I really like the hole. Shape of the green, I really like it. It played tough today into the wind. I was awfully pleased, it looked like I was going to make a mess of that hole as well and awfully pleased I made an eight- or 10-footer there. That to me was kind of one I'll be awfully pleased about and proud about when I think about this round. I feel like that kind of allowed me to keep some positivity going on this day.
Q. If you could change anything on 15, was there one shot where you think you made a mistake?
MATT KUCHAR: I told you that, the drive. The drive was terrible, so that was two shots right there. That's a fairway that's 70 yards wide. I mean, I hit that one in my sleep. Just tried to ride it and, you know, that one I'd love to have back.
Going left of that green, I'm sure there was three-quarters of the field -- not three-quarters, sorry, a third of the field was probably left of that green. It's hard not to be left of that green, and when you're down there, there aren't many good options.
Q. Things start happening so quickly when something like that takes place, I really admire that you were able to hold it together. I'll see you on the first with a share of the lead.
MATT KUCHAR: Thanks a lot, Fred.
Q. Matt, good round today. As Fred said earlier, little peaks and valleys. If we could start with your first 14 holes, 10 under par, that's a lot more representative I feel like the golf that you came into the week feeling good about.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah. Listen, I'm playing some really good golf. I certainly was in very good control out there for the majority of the day and had a lot of good things going. That was a fun first 14.
Listen, the 15th hole is I think one everybody's kind of got circled in their yardage book, this one could get you in some trouble. I hit a terrible tee shot, tried to ride the wind, tried to have a slightly shorter club in and ended up hitting a big hook instead of a little draw. It was a big hook in the junk. That's the only one I'd love to have back.
The approach in, it's a tough approach. When it came off the club I thought it was pretty good, the wind just got the best of it. You know left is no good, but neither is right. You have a big margin right, but when you can hit the right edge of the green and end up in the same place I was, the slopes are just huge there.
From where I was, we all looked at that practice rounds and saw that's not a great place to be, and it is not a great place to be. I had one of those kind of resodded ugly lies at first. I'm not sure how you play that shot with that steep of a bank. Clearly I did not execute it.
Then was in the hazard and really had no shot. Thankfully, my ball, I don't know which attempt that was, my seventh, was in a spot that I felt like, all right, this gives me a chance to get up and down. I made a nice chip up there to a foot and a half or two feet.
All of a sudden saw what was a big lead turn into not much of a lead. It's amazing how quick things can go in the game of golf. Certainly I saw a big lead go away, but at the same time I still feel like I'm awfully pleased with the state of my game.
Q. Not to sound too philosophical, but you were kind of at a cross roads at that point, you could have let that just completely devour your mood, your attitude, everything, but you didn't. You're standing here talking to us now, you finished your round, you're smiling. Obviously the game of golf is a lot more mental, is it fair to say, than physical? Is that what makes the difference with you?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, I think I have a pretty good understanding of how that outlook. And listen, it's 72 holes. I'm normally really good at bogey avoidance, certainly even better at double bogey avoidance, and then throw quadruple bogey avoidance I'm pretty good at, but it happens here.
You know, the next hole I kind of was really looking forward to executing good shots. I did not. That's one of my favorite holes on the course, I think 16's a really well designed hole. Got myself in kind of another tricky situation. I was hugely pleased, probably I thought biggest shot of the day for me was that putt for bogey. I made about a 10-footer for bogey there. That's one like walking off the green, I think had that not gone, in my head might have hung a little low, but have that go in, all right, I'm playing good golf.
Bit of a bummer to walk off with a par on the last, but put a drive in the bunker, tried to be aggressive and ended up kind of lipping out for birdie.
All in all, I still feel like I'm playing really good golf. Certainly would love to be six shots clear of where I am at the moment, but I'm in a good spot and certainly excited for tomorrow.
Q. What do you think Tiger would say to you about that 15th hole?
MATT KUCHAR: He'd probably say why don't you hit it on the right side of the green, said it's pretty easy. He's giving you a big hill, hit it over on the right. Camilo had no problem with it today.
Listen, it's a unique thing. I made -- We saw a birdie on that hole and an 8 on that hole. It's doable, it's not an impossible hole, but it is certainly one where lots of trouble can be had.
Q. Was your head spinning on 15, 16?
MATT KUCHAR: It's funny, things start moving quickly. I feel like this -- and I felt it and I feel like I was able to slow it down about as well as I've handled these situations in the past.
I think everybody's had this happen. If you play competitive golf, you kind of have been in a situation like this.
Certainly I saw things going quickly, but I think I was able to stay about as calm as I've ever been when I've kind of seen these things start to move as quick as they move.
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