Golf Channel Notable Quotes
Hero World Challenge
Round 1, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016
Albany Resort, Albany, Bahamas
**Golf Channel’s live Round 2 coverage of the Hero World Challenge begins a 1 p.m. ET on Friday, following Golf Central Pre-Game at Noon ET.**
Tiger Woods (1-over, 17th) speaking with Golf Channel’s Damon Hack following his round
Tiger Woods – “If you think about it, I hit the ball in three bushes and [had] a water ball today. It could have been something really good today. I got off to a nice solid start and made a few mistakes there. I didn’t play the par-5s very well in the middle part of the round, and consequently I got it going the wrong way.”
Woods – “I had some awkward shots, there’s no doubt about it. This golf course… If you’re driving it great here, man you can take advantage of this golf course and you can tear it apart. But if you’re not, you end up in some bushes and some rocks, it can go sideways. All in all I feel pretty good and I’m looking forward to another three more days.”
Woods – “[I] quickly fell into the competitive flow and felt the feel of the round. By the time I hit my tee shot on the second hole, I’d already gotten into the flow of the round. That’s something that for me when I’ve taken layoffs and taken breaks it’s how quickly can I [come back and] find the feel of the round. So to be able to play [for the first time] in what 15, 16 months and get it on the second hole was nice.”
J.B. Holmes (8-under, leader) speaking with Hack following his round
J.B. Holmes – “A lot of the par-5s are reachable for a lot of people. But anytime you get five par-5s you need to put in some good scores, and I played them well today.”
On Woods
Curt Byrum – “He’s hit a lot of good iron shots. I think you give him an A in that category. His driver is close, but enough misses to the left to give him maybe a B-minus or C. Putting has been pretty decent. He’s hit a couple of really great pitch shots, but he’s also hit a couple of very poor pitch shots. So he definitely has some areas to work on… 16 months off, and it’s not easy even for [him] to come back.”
Gary Koch – “Literally every fairway that he’s missed today has been to the left. But it’s been more pulls than big hooks. The effort level I think has been under control for the most part throughout the day.
The balance has been good, rhythm has stayed constant.”
Notah Begay – “I think he should be pretty pleased overall with how he’s driven it.”
Byrum – “This isn’t a major championship by any means, but it matters to him. And getting restarted and seeing some good results is important to him right now.”
Koch – “You just expect so much from yourself as a player... Tiger often talks about it being a process. This certainly coming back from what he’s been through and [being out] for that length of time is a process.”
Byrum – “His fellow competitors are cheering for him to make a comeback. There isn’t any question about that. They want to see him back playing well. They know the competitive side of this game is better when he’s playing well and in the ballgame.”
Byrum – “Tiger had us so encouraged through eight holes, but since nine it wasn’t very pretty. Double [bogeying] two of his last three [holes], and four sixes in your last 10 holes is not getting it done.”
-NBC Sports Group-