Kisner Opens Eyes at Players


If it weren't for Rickie Fowler's heroics on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, unheralded Kevin Kisner would have been the talk of the golf world today.

Kisner, a 31-year-old South Carolinian and former Georgia Bulldog, played exceptionally well throughout the week at the nerve-wracking, water- and trouble-laden Pete Dye-designed golf course.

After opening with a 1-over 73, Kisner posted two 67s and a 69 to finish at 12-under 276, tying Fowler and Sergio Garcia in regulation and qualifying for a three-hole, aggregate-score playoff.

Though he lost to eventual champion Fowler, just missing a birdie at the par-3 17th that would have forced another hole in the growing darkness in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Kisner's play was impressive.

Kisner has been knocking on the door for his first Tour title. In 17 starts, he's recorded two runner-ups - both playoff losses - and another top-10 en route to earning $1,959,867. His other second place came in the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town three weeks ago, when he lost to Jim Furyk.

Still, Kisner was in position for his maiden win on Mother's Day, especially since he played - and competed - so well. It won't be long before he breaks down the door.

Following the emotional rollercoaster of the final round, which concluded with Fowler celebrating with his mother and girlfriend at greenside, Kisner met with reporters and discussed his day. Here's what the folksy player had to say.

MODERATOR: All right, Kevin, that was an exciting playoff. I know it did not end the way you had hoped, but what positives do you take away from this week.

KEVIN KISNER: Just another good week. It was a cool experience to be part of that. Coming down the stretch there, around 16, 17, 18 was super-cool atmosphere. Hitting those shots into 17 all three times was really good shots, and birdieing it twice is super cool, with all those people watching. I mean, I'm playing well. Just going to keep grinding and I'll get one sooner or later.

Q. Kevin, how aware were you of what else was going on out there, because there were a lot of things going on down the stretch?

KEVIN KISNER: I wasn't really watching the boards that closely. I knew when I heard the big roar, I was probably on 13 or 14 and I figured Rickie probably birdied 18. I'm assuming he did, in regulation. So I knew 12 was the number to get into a playoff. But I didn't know what the groups in between us did coming to 18, and I asked my caddie on 18 on that last putt if that was to win, and he said, for sure, so I knew that I had to make that putt to win.

Q. The birdie putt on 18 in regulation, did that hit something on the way there? It looked very, very good and like it easily could have gone in.

KEVIN KISNER: I early called it in my head probably. Two feet out I said, that's center cut. I just watched Chris putt on almost the same line, and his ball was going straight to the hole and broke hard left at the end, and I knew with mine and the speed and the line, I thought it was dead center. I don't know if it hit anything. I couldn't tell. But that's such a good putt to hit coming down the stretch, probably 10 feet breaking a cup right to left and got out the perfect speed and hit a great putt, so I'll remember that one when I need to make another one.

Q. Did you draw on the playoff with Furyk at RBC today?

KEVIN KISNER: I didn't go back and think what I did. It was more I think I was more calm out there coming down the stretch because I had just been there recently. The more you're in that position, the better off you're going to be, obviously. So I don't think I really looked back saying, all right, I know I can hit this shot, because I did it two, three weeks ago. More just I know this situation, I know what I need to do, and I just kind of -- I was calm all day. I knew what was going on, and it was cool, a cool feeling out there coming down the stretch.

Q. I was wondering, is it any different playing 17 in a playoff? And also, you and Rickie both hit four great shots. That looks like one of the trickier pin positions. Was it easier than you think?

KEVIN KISNER: Today being downwind made it a lot easier with that pin. For some reason when you get in that position your focus just narrows and you drown out the water and hit a sand wedge right over that pot bunker and I hit it in the same spot, it looked like, all three times. It looked like the last time it almost went in, from the tee, I couldn't see. But I hit it in the water there on Thursday, so to come back and do that three times in a row is a good job.

Q. Was darkness getting to be a factor at all?

KEVIN KISNER: No, I asked Robbie going down to 17 if we could play two more. I wanted to get it over with, if we could. But no, it never affected -- both 17 and 18 were shaded greens, but we've been on them enough, we know what's going on, and by this point you'd better know the speed, the speed of the greens, no matter if it's getting dark or not.

Q. How much did it help you playing with a former teammate at Georgia, or did it hurt you that he wasn't particularly playing that well?

KEVIN KISNER: No, we had a good time. We've probably played 200 rounds together, like I said yesterday, and very familiar with each other. I was playing with Brendan Todd at the Heritage on Sunday in the last group, so I've lucked out two times in a row. I've been in that position, and I've had familiar faces, which is good. You can chat it up and have nice conversations going down the fairways.

Q. You must have been at least three, maybe four behind on the front nine. Was there any pep talk that you got from your caddie or just gave yourself anywhere along the way?

KEVIN KISNER: No, I never really saw that. I saw Sergio was 11 early when I was probably 9, and I didn't know if I got three or four behind. But I knew if I could birdie 9, if I could get there even par - I hit a bad shot on 8 and made a great up-and-down, so I was thinking birdie 9 and 11 and we'll be right back in the game. Which I didn't, but I gave myself the chances there, just left myself difficult putts to make. I had a lot of chances all day with the putter, I just didn't make anything from that 15-, 20- foot range that you need to make to win.

Q. What were your goals coming into the season?

KEVIN KISNER: To get in this position, to win. That's what it's all about. You know, I'm not big on putting stuff on the bulletin board and trying to achieve it. I'm more just do what I have to do, stay in my process and good things will happen, and that's what's been going on.

Q. You mentioned Rickie's birdie at 18 in regulation. He had to go 6-under in the last six holes just to get in a playoff. That seems like a pretty incredible feat.

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, that's pretty good. And then two more under in the four holes we play, so 8-under in the last 10 holes? That's pretty good. Feel like what I did at Hilton Head and still didn't win. Golf is a hard and cruel game. (Laughter.) But hats off. I mean, shoot, these guys are good, I'm telling you. Don't give up on anybody. Everybody can play out here.

Q. The whole Rickie Fowler thing with the overrated, how do you figure, if at all, that played into his inspired play?

KEVIN KISNER: He looked pretty focused to me out there. I don't know if you can get too caught up in that whole deal. I really don't know that whole story, but I heard the remnants of it this weekend. Obviously he's not overrated. The guy finished top -- what did he finish, top 5 in all four majors last year? Anybody that can do that, as you can see, if you're in that position, you're playing pretty danged well. What is he supposed to be rated? What's the threshold here on who calls what's overrated? I wouldn't get too worried about that. But I'm sure he was fired up to get that -- whoever said that -- off his shoulder, and I think he proved it today with that -- that was a sick shot he hit on 17 right of the hole four feet. That's pretty dadgum good.

Q. Were you underrated, or do you think you won't be underrated anymore?

KEVIN KISNER: Who knows. If I miss every cut from here on out, I'm probably rated wherever y'all thought I was. (Laughter). I don't get too caught up in all that. This game is too dadgum hard and cruel to get caught up in who's rated where. Just go play your butt off and see what happens.

Q. When you went to Tillery to have those swing changes you told him, give me something I can get around the golf course with and I can win with and do what I'm doing. Where did that faith come from?

KEVIN KISNER: Well, I've always won every level I've played at, I've always been good under the gun. If I believe in myself and I know what I'm doing, I know I can do it. I think all that hard work - we're only a year and a half into it almost, and I'm starting to see some pretty good things, and hopefully we're just scratching the surface on where we're going to go, and you'll see my name up there every week.

Q. You handled yourself very well, considering it's the second playoff you've been in in three weeks. How did it feel?

KEVIN KISNER: It was cool. I was calm all day. I felt awesome out there playing. I've been in that situation just a few weeks ago, so I probably relied on that a lot, coming down the stretch. But I hit every shot like I wanted to. I thought I made it in regulation, I really did. I thought that was over right then. My hat's off to Rickie, he played great. Two great birdies on 17, just came up short. I'll get mine.

Q. Sometimes when you play and you're playing against great players like that, they're going to make birdies, just got to match it and do what you can?

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, absolutely. You don't expect out here for anybody to hand it to you. These guys are all good and everybody's going to step up when the time's needed. And if you're in that position, you're playing well, so you have confidence. And everybody, you know, this playoff was really good and the way guys closed it out, everybody made birdies coming in down the stretch to get to the playoff. So, it was a cool way to finish and I'm looking forward to getting to Charlotte and playing again.

Q. Two putts on 18, one in regulation and, I mean, obviously, you felt like you made both of those.

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, I thought that the second one in the playoff was short when it was rolling. But it got a little further than I thought as it rolled down there and it looked like it could have gone in there at the end. But 27 feet or whatever I was, give it a chance, that's all I was looking to do. Like I said, I thought I won in regulation, I hit a great putt like I wanted to, and just didn't happen. But I'll have more chances.

Q. The first step that you took after that putt was left, was the look of a guy who thought the ball was going in.

KEVIN KISNER: In regulation? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I watched Chris Kirk right before me on the same line, his putt snapped and it was like right edge with two feet to go breaking left. I don't know how it missed. But somehow it did and we'll get back after it next week and try to win again.

Q. Are you playing next week?

KEVIN KISNER: I am, yeah.

The transcript for the above interview is courtesy of ASAP Sports.