In possession of sole third after 36 holes at the 3M Open, PGA Tour rookie Callum Tarren sits on the cusp of his best finish on Tour. Excerpts from an interview:
Always good to be bogey free, just kind of a general assessment heading into the weekend.
Callum Tarren: I think I’ve only had one bogey over two rounds, so game’s in a good place. I’m hitting plenty of fairways, plenty of greens and, like you said, I’m in a good position going into the weekend.
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Big couple next weeks for you sitting just outside 125. How much are you thinking about that? How much is that on the mind when you’re out there this week?
Callum: If I’m being truthfully honest, I’m not because I’ve got everything to gain, nothing to lose. I’m in a position now where if worst comes to worst, I’m probably back
to Korn Ferry Finals or even could be from 126 to 150. So my goal is to get in the 125. And
other goal is to win, so I’ve got nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Yeah, I’m just going to keep the foot to the floor and make as many birdies as possible.
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One off the course record I think today, what was working well for you?
Callum: Everything. I drove it super straight in the fairways, long. Approaches, I
hit every green today, so I had so many chances. I actually missed probably four or five
inside 10 feet, so it could have been ridiculous.
Did you know coming to 18 to tie the tournament record was out there for a birdie?
Callum: No, I didn’t.
What was the lie like on 18 off the tee into the rough?
Callum: Yeah, it was dead, I had nothing. I hit pitching wedge because I literally could not advance it any further. And that’s what it’s like out here, one yard out of the fairway you’re in deep gunk. If you miss it a bit wide, sometimes you can get a lie. But yeah, 18’s one of those holes, risk-reward. Even if you hit it in the fairway, it’s not a given birdie. Like I said, me and my caddie decided we’ll lay up and give ourselves a good number. Didn’t hit the best wedge shot third shot, but happy with my day.
These three weeks that you have ahead of you, is it similar to last summer when we were with you and do you have a comparison, can you draw off of it and the success you had in Columbus?
Callum: Yeah, I think so. I mean, obviously this time last year was a crazy time in my life, had our first child and getting my PGA Tour card. But like you said, I’m in a good spot mentally, physically, my game’s good, so I’ve got nothing to worry about. Caddie keeps saying to me you should be in contention every week. It’s literally the game is in a very, very good spot. I don’t know what it is, but I feel calm, I feel chilled, I feel confident. Yeah, I know the position I’m in, but like I’ve said, got everything to gain, nothing to lose, so I’m just going to keep rolling with that.
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You had a couple rounds approaching this neighborhood back-to-back at the John
Deere, didn’t you?
Callum: Yeah, I played solid at the John Deere, finished sixth I think. I think I can draw off that because Sunday didn’t quite about go my way, I missed a couple of shots coming down the stretch, but I think my mindset over the weekend is just going to be pedal
to the floor. Like you say, my game’s in a good spot where I can, I think I can do pretty good.
