FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 26th, 2018

NOTABLE QUOTES: THE SENIOR OPEN (FIRST ROUND)

Thursday, July 26

The Old Course, St Andrews Links, St Andrews, Scotland

 

**Live coverage of Friday’s second round of The Senior Open presented by Rolex airs on Golf Channel from 7-9:30 a.m. ET and from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. ET. Media can also access notable quotes via @GolfChannelPR on Twitter or by visiting www.nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com**

 

On Kirk Triplett, current leader at 7-under par
Lanny Wadkins – “What a round of golf. This coming from a man who told me yesterday he loves coming over here but he never plays well. Says he never hits it solid over here. He hit it solid today.”

Kirk Triplett speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis following his round (7-under 65 on Thursday)
Kirk Triplett – “I drove it very well. I have a local caddie, and I’m really uncertain out here. That is one of the reasons why I have a local guy this week. He was very descriptive. Said, ‘Hit it right at the radar tower, at the clump of bushes. I did that a number of times today. So I had a lot of good fairway looks and then I putted well from 10-20 feet. That is what you need to do around here.”
Triplett – “I never feel all that competitive over here. I always feel a little off balance. That is probably the real reason. I invent other reasons not to come over, but that is the real reason. The town, the experience, the golf, it is like no other.”

Paul McGinley, 6-under par 66 on Thursday, speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis following his round
Paul McGinley – “Very satisfied. 66 in a round at St Andrews on a day like this? I don’t think golf can be any better than that, to be honest, in terms of enjoyment. Playing the Old Course with some really nice guys, playing well, beautiful day. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
McGinley – “Any championship that is at St Andrews, whether it be an amateur, or just coming out for a game of golf, there is something mystical and magical about this place. If you love golf, this is the place to be.” 

On Bernhard Langer, 5-under par 67 on Thursday
Billy Ray Brown – “He continues to work as hard as anybody. He is never trying to really look for anything, he is just trying to get better at what he does. The way he goes about his business, we use this term ‘Leave no stone unturned.’ He doesn’t. He is out at the golf course late at night and is one of the first ones out in the morning on the practice tee.”
Wadkins – “Overall, he looks very sharp and in control of his game.”

On Tom Watson, 3-under par 69 on Thursday
Wadkins – “It took him a while to develop a love for links golf, but his game was so good it was pretty much going to work anywhere. It has worked very well over here in Scotland especially.”
John Mahaffey – “He figured out a way not to hate it, he won his first one.”
Brown – “Overall today it has been a pleasure to watch these three great players go around St Andrews [Watson, Langer and Jimenez]. Watson is very, very sharp in his game.”
Wadkins – “Tom played exceptionally well. He hit a lot of quality shots. I love the aggressive line off of some of the tees. He knows he can drive it straight. He trusts his driving.”

Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis following their round
Bernhard Langer – “I had a really good start. Got to 4-under pretty quickly and then got to 5-under but I made two bogeys. Made two three puts. Otherwise played fairly solid. It was a pleasure playing with Tom Watson, as it always it is. What a great gentleman and a fantastic player. I told him on the 18th that he is still hitting a lot of solid shots. You can see why he won so many British Opens and other titles around the world.”
Tom Watson – “It was deja vu because in 1984 we played the final round together here. He could have very easily won the tournament if his putter was working at all. He hit it close to the hole a lot that day and came up with nothing. Today he came up with something. He got off to a pretty good start and got it to 5-under par.”
Watson – “What I was happy about, is that I didn’t make a 5 on the card today. That is the first time in a couple of decades I’ve done that.”
Watson – “You look at the number of qualifiers who came over here to qualify. Normally it is 350, maybe 400 qualifiers to try to get in. They had over 600 qualifiers to get to try to play the Old Course at St Andrews. That is how much it is revered and how they think about it. They want to play here. The excitement level is just a step higher with everybody around the tournament here this year.”
Langer – “It doesn’t get any better. I love links golf no matter where, but to play at the Old Course is just huge. It is a lot of fun. When you get to our age, you never know, could this be the last one at the Old Course or could this be the last one anywhere. You really got to enjoy it.”
Langer – “You look at the field, this is the strongest field we have had in a long time, especially from overseas. A lot of the Americans came over because of the venue. Obviously the tournament is fantastic and Rolex who supports it is a great sponsor. There are a lot of great players in the field and it just shows how much it means to them to play here.”

On Thursday’s Round One of The Senior Open at St Andrews
Rich Lerner – “There is nothing like it in the world of golf. Not even close.”
Lerner – “Always a pleasure to watch master craftsmen at work. That is what we have today at St Andrews.”
Brown – “It is amazing. It never gets old. It is incredible. You walk up to 18, the setting is so unique. You can’t explain.”
Wadkins – “It is great to be back in St Andrews. It is loved and revered by everyone who plays golf, especially at the highest level. The pros realize how special this place is. They all want to come here and play and would really love to have a win on their resume leaving St Andrews.”

-NBC Sports Group-