FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, March 2nd, 2019
Notable Quotes: The Honda Classic, Saturday’s 3rd Round: Clark Leads Singh By 1 at 7-Under
NBC Sports Notable Quotes
The Honda Classic
Third Round
PGA National Resort & Spa, Champion Course
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Honda Classic Third Round Leaderboard
Wyndham Clark -7
Vijay Singh -6
Keith Mitchell -6
Kyoung-Hoon Lee -6
Rickie Fowler -5
Brooks Koepka -4
On Wyndham Clark, leader at 7-under par (3-under 67 on Saturday)
Dan Hicks – “This is the biggest moment of his career so far, no doubt about it. Leading the PGA TOUR heading into Sunday.”
Hicks – “He has gotten himself out of all sorts of predicaments today.”
Paul Azinger – “Some of his shots were making my palms sweat just watching them today.”
Azinger – “I don’t believe this is the kind of course you can hit it around and just rely on your short game. He is going to have to pull it together a little bit because he has Vijay, Rickie and several other strong group of players behind him.”
Azinger – “Everybody has got to win the first one sometime. Maybe this will be his week.”
David Feherty – “Showing some intestinal fortitude.”
Wyndham Clark speaking with NBC’s Steve Sands following his round
Wyndham Clark – “I’ve played in a lot of final groups growing up as a junior and in college golf. I think it is a similar feeling. Obviously, there are more people and more pressure but you just have to play your game. I love the moment. I like playing in front of a lot of people so tomorrow will be fun.”
On Vijay Singh, T2 at 6-under par (5-under 65 on Sunday)
Azinger – “Vijay is a miracle man. He is in incredible shape and he has still got it. Nobody hits more balls than Vijay Singh. At age 56, I bet he’ll be a little nervous tomorrow.”
Azinger – “I’m not all that surprised that someone like Vijay can play that way on this golf course because it does require experience.”
On Keith Mitchell, T2 at 6-under par (even-par 70 on Saturday)
Jim “Bones” Mackay – “This is a different stage for Keith and a learning process.”
Mackay – “He is loose as a goose. He is very excited on being on Bermuda grass.”
Azinger – “He loves Bermuda. He keeps saying how much he loves Bermuda. I think he likes it more than Andy Bean and Gary Koch. And that is saying something because they can play on some Bermuda.”
Azinger – “He showed some heart today. Disappointing par at the last but a pretty solid round to be in the last group.”
On Rickie Fowler, fifth place at 5-under par (4-under 66 on Saturday)
Azinger – “Rickie set himself up with a chance for tomorrow.”
Rickie Fowler Speaking with NBC’s Steve Sands following his round
Rickie Fowler – “Really trying to not make bogeys. Whenever you are making a birdie out there hopefully it is to move forward and up the board. Did a good job with that pretty much all day. Made the one bogey on 15, but I think we accomplished what we wanted. It would have been nice to get a couple more. Just struggled a little bit with the pace of the greens. I felt like they were a little bit slower today and I left a few putts a little bit short. Just need that little extra roll. But, a solid round and in a good spot for Sunday.”
Fowler – “When you make 7 on [No.] 6 the first day, I felt like it kind of owed me at some point…Nice to get a little bonus there, knocking that one in for 3. That got me to 3-under for the day. It is nice when you get off to a start like that through the first six or so here because it is not easy to get under par early.”
On Adam Schenk, T6 at 4-under par (2-under 68 on Saturday)
Gary Koch –”You have to tip your cap to him. He has managed to shoot a couple under par after being penalized before he teed off.”
Azinger – “One of the strengths that most of these players have is the ability to stay in the moment. To not get out ahead of yourself too much or to not fret what happened in the past. He was able to somehow put that behind him when he got to the first tee.”
Azinger – “There was never any intention for his caddy to line him up yesterday in that situation. It was a tough penalty. Those rules are meant to protect the field, and I just don’t know how that protected anybody.”
On Brooks Koepka, T6 at 4 -under par (even-par 70 on Saturday)
Azinger – “He is really hanging in there. Got off to a rough start. Wants to treat these final two rounds like it is a major championship. His caddy told me earlier that he feels like his man takes too many chances too often on events that aren’t majors, and his major strategy is what he is going to try to go to here.”
Notah Begay – “He has impressed a lot of people the last couple of years. A lot of top players didn’t see him coming, but he’s never doubted himself and has demonstrated the ability to close out big events.”
On Saturday’s third round at PGA National
Azinger – “It is one of the most visually intimidating golf courses I have ever played. It is a phenomenal test, and these guys are going to be tested.”
Azinger – “This golf course can humble you really quickly.”
-NBC Sports Group-
