What they said: Brendon de Jonge

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MARK STEVENS: I'd like to welcome Brendon de Jonge, another 66. Kind of different conditions today, but you're still playing quite well to get to 12 under. If you'll talk a bit about your round today and how it differed from yesterday.

BRENDON DE JONGE: Yeah, we obviously got the best of the conditions this morning. We didn't have much wind starting out. It had started to pick up a little bit out there now. You know, the golf course is in great shape this morning. Obviously, being first out was a big advantage as well. It was fun. It was a good round.

MARK STEVENS: Questions?

Q. How close have you come to winning out here? I've seen you had a third two thirds, a fourth. How close were you to winning?

BRENDON DE JONGE: I've had some good opportunities. I've been there late on Sunday several times this year. Obviously, I haven't been able to close the deal. Definitely had some very good opportunities this year.

Q. So what's the difference? What will take you over the top? What is there that you need to do the next two days?

BRENDON DE JONGE: I think, you know, you need things to go your way to win. You need a couple of good breaks here and there coming in it. Obviously, it's not easy to win. The cards have definitely got to fall your way.

Q. You look like you were just sailing across the course today. Was it easy for you?

BRENDON DE JONGE: No, no, I kept it out of trouble most of the day. You never want to say it's an easy round. I felt like it could have been a couple better, but I'll take 66 any time.

Q. Yesterday you bogeyed 4 and then birdied 5, ripped up the back nine from there. Today you came in, and you birdied three in a row, 5, 6, and 7. Something about your game there? You're five under on those holes. Maybe it suits your game there?

BRENDON DE JONGE: Not that it suits my game. They're scoring holes. Numbers 5 and 7 are both par 5s that we can reach. It's where you got to make your score, nothing that it suits my game.

Q. Not a lot of Zimbabwean golfers. What would you say to Zimbabwean athletes? What benefits did you have that got you to the PGA Tour? What would you say to young athletes in Zimbabwe?

BRENDON DE JONGE: I would say jump on any opportunity you get. I got a great one to come to college here and made the most of that. Loved my time over here. That's the big thing, jump on any opportunity that you get.

Q. What did the U.S. Open experience do for you?

BRENDON DE JONGE: Got me comfortable. You know, I played in front of Tiger the first two rounds. Obviously, we had to deal with his crowds and stuff. It definitely got me comfortable on a bigger stage.

Q. And did you enjoy that stage?

BRENDON DE JONGE: Loved it. Loved it. It was a lot of fun. You know, enjoyed every minute of it. Obviously, I didn't finish the tournament off how I would like to, but I loved every minute. It was a very enjoyable experience.

Q. What do you do the rest of the day? Do you watch the leaderboard?

BRENDON DE JONGE: Not so much. I'll glance at it and probably go back and watch some Ryder Cup, if they're playing. I'm not sure what's happened. I wouldn't watch the leaderboard too closely.

Q. Conditions were perfect. Was the wind blowing today? You talked about yesterday the wind swirling in different spots. How was it today?

BRENDON DE JONGE: We didn't have much the first seven, eight holes. Seemed to be picking up. It didn't seem to be constant, but this afternoon it will get to swirling again.

Q. On 18 it was right in your face. Did you even think about going for it there?

BRENDON DE JONGE: I did. It definitely crossed my mind. It was right on the edge. I think, if the wind had been a little lower, hadn't been blowing quite as hard, I would have had a go.

Q. And what was your distance there?

BRENDON DE JONGE: I think I had about 238 to the front. So it was right on the edge with the breeze.

MARK STEVENS: Any other questions?

Thanks a lot, Brendon. Good luck this weekend.