An Interview with: CARL PETTERSSON

Q.        Carl, yesterday you hit six fairways.  Today you hit everyone.  Is that the difference between 70 and 63?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Yeah, probably.  You know, this golf course you don’t hit the fairways it’s very difficult with the thick rough, and started off good yesterday and kind of come back.  But today was good the whole day.  It was fun playing with Chad and I got it going.

Q.  You know this course and the ebb and flow of this tournament as well as anyone.  You start the day at 5.  You know it’s going take you 36 probably to catch everybody.  Might have done most of it in one day.

Was 20 still kind of the number you had designed to get to by the weekend?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Shooting for 20 at the beginning of the week.  I think the golf course is finally tougher than in years past.  I just wanted to shoot even yesterday but 63 today.  It’s nice to put myself back in the tournament and I don’t know what’s going to happen.  Today I’ve done my bit and I probably got to go a low one tomorrow again.

Q.  Now you got to do it again, unfortunately.

Following a great one with a great one is not easy to do, is it?

CARL PETTERSSON:  No, it’s not easy to do but it’s been done.  I’ve done it in Canada —

Q.   Couple years ago, right?

CARL PETTERSSON:  It’s difficult to do but I’ll try and see what happens.

Q.  This golf course, are there just still tons of birdies out there for the guys that are playing behind you?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Yeah.  If you put it in play, there’s a ton of birdies.  The golf course is in great shape.  The greens are good.  Hot.  The ball is going a million miles.  You just get it in play, you still got to make a putt.  That’s what I managed to do today.

Q.  Congratulations.  Good luck on Sunday.

CARL PETTERSSON:  Thank you.

Q.  How big a advantage was it going off early, maybe a little bit cooler conditions, little bit easier?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Little advantage of going out early.  Greens are a little bit better.  But, you know, if you’re playing well you’re still going to shoot a good number if you’re early or late.  Nice to get a low one in today.

Q.  Have you looked at the leaderboard at all?

CARL PETTERSSON:  I looked at it a little bit.  Little lopsided.  The leaders just teed off, I guess, and there’re plenty of birdies out there and I didn’t pay too much attention to it.

Q.  You’re fairly comfortable with your location.  What do you do to prepare?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Going back to Raleigh tonight.  I was home last night.  Played with my kids and, yeah, I’ll do the same thing tonight, just hang out, be home and drive up here tomorrow morning.

Q.  What do you think the difference was between yesterday and today?

CARL PETTERSSON:  I put in it play better off the tee today and putted better.  I played good the first round and I just didn’t put it in play yesterday and didn’t make many putts yesterday and today I rolled it nice and put it in play.  That’s the difference, really.

The rough is pretty thick out here so you got to get in it play and then you can attack from there.

Q.  You hit a stretch at 12 and 13, you saved par on the par 3, two really long putts.  13 you made the birdie coming back off the green with that putt.

How big was that?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Yeah.  It’s the sort of thing that happens when you shoot a good round.  That’s the difference between a good round and an okay round and making those putts in there, getting up and down when you miss the green and that’s the difference really in this game, such a small margin.  Yeah, get it up and down.

Q.  What do you think of certain guys in certain tournaments?  You’re one of those guys here.  Do you think the same way about it?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Yeah.  I played pretty good here.  Obviously I’ve won and I’ve finished in the Top-10 a few times even when it was at Forest Oaks.  I went to high school here and live in Raleigh, obviously.  I don’t know why it is.  I like it.  I don’t know what it is but I seem to do well.

Q.  Lot of State fans yelling at you?

CARL PETTERSSON:  Yeah.  Yeah, it’s fun.  Felt good.

 

 

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