DOUG MILNE: Carl Pettersson, 8-under, 62 in round one of the Wyndham Championship. You won’t go away. You’re picking right back you have where you left off last week at the PGA Championship and obviously played well, won here and T-4 last year.
Just continuation of what’s been going right for you, I guess.
CARL PETTERSSON: Yeah, exactly. I started off the round good with two birdies in the first three holes and got me kind of straight back into the score mode from last week and I wasn’t sure, sometimes after a great week you sometimes feel a little bit flat the next week but I think it helped getting off to such a good start and I played solid.
I played — hit it pretty good off the tee and hit my irons good and putted really well. It was a great day for me.
Q. There was a lot of talk about how the new green surfaces were going to change the scoring. It looks fairly similar from your perspective. How different was it?
CARL PETTERSSON: Yeah, it’s definitely playing harder. If you put the ball in the fairway you can still score. It’s probably easier to make putts now because the greens are pure.
But if you’re missing the fairways you’re going to have a tougher time making par and I got fortunate today, I missed a few fairways but I had a decent lie in the rough and was able to get it on the green but it’s definitely — the average score will be a little bit higher than last year. If you’re playing well you can definitely score around here, sure.
Q. Any member bounces out there? Typical day for you? Must have felt comfortable the whole way.
CARL PETTERSSON: That’s right, I am a member (laughter). No, no real great — I had a couple of good lies in the rough where it’s sitting up, it’s fine. If it’s sitting down you have a hard time reaching the green. I had a couple sitting up. That helps.
Q. Are you a streak player? In your best golf you think in moments like this when you get going and can just keep it rolling?
CARL PETTERSSON: Yeah, I think so. I think this game is very streaky. We get on a good run you got to keep going and seems like when you’re playing well you never think you’re going to play bad. When you’re playing bad you never think you’re going to play well.
For sure, I think it is a very streaky game. Once you get on a streak you got to take advantage of it and, you know, put the pedal down and go for it.
Q. What is it about this golf course that seems to suit you so well?
CARL PETTERSSON: It’s close to home. I lived here obviously in high school and I just like it. It fits my eye very good off the tee. Every tee shot I stand on, every tee box and feel comfortable. I seem to read the greens really well and I think that’s the key, hitting the fairways and making some putts.
Q. Are you still making the commute to Raleigh during this tournament?
CARL PETTERSSON: Yeah. I stayed up here last night. I’ll commute from now on.
Q. Carl, the changes in the course, is this 62 better than the 61 you shot in ’08?
CARL PETTERSSON: Probably very similar. It’s tougher to go — I think it’s tougher to go 9 than 8. Doesn’t really matter if the course is easier or not. It’s still a very good round. Very similar, yeah.
Q. Did the ruling thing stay with you long after you left Kiawah?
CARL PETTERSSON: A little bit that night but nothing I could do about it. It sure would have been nice if I finished 2nd but Rory played phenomenal. I played to win but Rory played great. It’s tough to beat a guy that has a 3 shot lead and shoots what, 66?
I’m over it. It’s fine. It’s gone. It’s over and done with. Nothing I can do about it.
DOUG MILNE: All right. Carl, we hope you keep it up and join us a lot here this week.
CARL PETTERSSON: I am a little gun shy now. I was in the hazard on 15. My ball was sitting up. I put the club about up here (indicating), the ball was down here (laughter).
FastScripts by ASAP Sports