Q. 5-under par, 65. Excellent round. No bogeys on the card. Talk a little bit about what worked so well for you today.

HAYDEN BUCKLEY: Really feel like the putting has kind of saved me all week. I started out today even with two longer par saves I think like the 10 to 12 foot range. So definitely got, I think -- I told my caddie, that was kind of what we needed to start the day, and this place is, it's tough, it's kind of placement golf off the tee which I've done a lot better today than I did yesterday, but I hit the ball in the right places into the greens and gave myself chances to make putts. But really the putter's been really the strength all week.

Q. Two shots back, you'll be in the last pairing tomorrow, how excited are you for the weekend?

HAYDEN BUCKLEY: Yeah, it's exciting, I haven't seen many weekends this year so it's great to feel like my game's coming back, it's been kind of long since I felt like this. Really the last couple weeks I started to see it. I didn't have good finish as at all, Myrtle Beach and even Dallas, but I saw some glimpses of what I was used to last year when I was playing really well. It's nice to see that back and it's nice to have a nice little competition, I think, with Davis Riley, another Mississippi guy, in the final group tomorrow, it should be fun.

Q. Is the heat affecting you at all and what's the key out there when it's so hot?

HAYDEN BUCKLEY: I think it's affecting everybody. It's hot. It's very warm. Dunk my head in the -- wanted to dunk my head in the ice cooler a few times, but I cooled off good, it's just a part of playing an outdoor sport, it's a part of being in Texas, and I lived in South Florida for three years, so I'm used to the heat and I'm just happy to be playing again.

Q. Missed the cut both times here previously, how excited are you to make it here at Colonial?

HAYDEN BUCKLEY: I guess I needed a redo about three years ago. It's a course that sets up for me, I just haven't done what I needed to off the tee the last two years. I feel like this year I really kind of figured out how to get the ball in the right places. It's not a ton of drivers, I laid back on a few holes that I think in the last two years I really struggled on. I've given my self opportunities and the irons are much improved. I think even over the last three years I think I've really improved my iron game. It's a lot of placement and I think I've done a really good job.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

144442-1-1044 2024-05-25 00:18:00 GMT

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