Q. You had birdies on 6 and 9 today, there was a lot of talk going into the tournament about the shortcuts on those holes. Can you walk us through those two birdies?

DAVID DUVAL: On those holes, yeah, I hit it ‑‑ on 6 I hit it over the bunker down to the bottom of the fairway and didn't have but 80 yards left and on 9 I hit it over the bunker into the fairway and had about 120 yards or so.

Q. How were the conditions out there?

DAVID DUVAL: Well, it's not dry. The ball's hitting, in the rough, the fairway, wherever it may be and stopping. Not collecting mud at this point; a little bit of dirt and debris. It's almost like too saturated to collect the mud. That might be a day away or two days away.

Then the greens are, you know, softer than obviously they would want, and because of the softness, they get a little bouncy. Considering what's gone on around here the last few days, it's perfect.

Q. Would you prefer to wait until tomorrow or go right back out?

DAVID DUVAL: I've been told I'm teeing off at 5:03 again so that's what I'm going to do. I don't have a preference either way, but just like I've always said had people complain about tee times, hey, I just want a tee time, just give me one so I can play.

Q. To get back here and play this well, what does it mean to you?

DAVID DUVAL: Well, forever, I've never made bones about it, I think the two Opens are the most important events of the year. The Masters is it's own entity and the PGA is kind of in the same boat I think but the two Opens are events to which everyone has access, technically, and then to come back up here was very important to me. So the qualifying up in Colombus was a very important day and very important two rounds to me to play well.

Q. What would it mean to you just to be able to go out there and play so well?

DAVID DUVAL: You know, I feel like I'm controlling the golf ball well, hitting it good. In the first round, I did what you need to do, simple recipe, hit the ball in play and knock it on the green. That's been my goal ever since, well, when we started out the qualifying rounds in Colombus, that's how I approached it, just the same way, get it in play and knock it on the greens and go from there.

Q. What is it mechanically and mentally that allowed you to qualify so well and then come out here and open with a 67?

DAVID DUVAL: I don't know. Playing well, like I've said. I've been working hard, and I've been playing well.

So I have felt like for most of this year, my scores have not been reflective at all of how I'm playing, and they are slowly ‑‑ I feel like my scores are slowly catching up to how I'm playing.

Q. You've been saying since March that you actually are not that far away. Is this what you were talking about?

DAVID DUVAL: Well, yeah, I feel like I know exactly what I'm trying to do. I feel comfortable with what I'm doing, and I feel confident in what I'm doing.

You know, confidence has been lacking for me for a while and towards the end of the West Coast, I've told you that I started to gain a little bit, and it's something that you have to kind of accrue and I've been picking it up here and there for a few months.

Again, even Monday in Colombus, that was an important day to me. I put a lot of pressure on myself because it was very important for me to come here.

Q. Whether it's 27 or 30 holes that you get in today, do you feel it's important to get as much out of possibly the best conditions you'll have all week?

DAVID DUVAL: Yeah, obviously. (Laughter) I feel like it's important for me to get the best out of every round that I play in an Open and in any TOUR event.

So, yes, it's important. I understand what you're asking; that I seemingly at this point have been on the better side of the draw, but that is part of the game. It gets on my bad side and sometimes it's the same, and right now, I'm going to go play some more and I don't think it's supposed to rain today, and I guess around noon tomorrow, here it comes.

This has to be one of the four or five best Open venues we ever play and I'm sure they are going to come back again. I think it just is incredible how it sets up, and obviously the U.S. Open is very important to me. Although I have never spent lots of time up here I actually have roots in New York, my dad is from upstate New York and my grandfather, and I just love the people up here. I love how they try to get involved and are involved. That's just part of playing here. That's why I played at Westchester every year I could. I was always there. I just loved it.

Q. When you go through struggles, can you appreciate a day like this more than you ever could before?

DAVID DUVAL: Well, I don't know ‑‑ I would say I hope I appreciate it more but I also have a very good idea what great golf is about and what bad golf is about.

So, you know, other than that, I don't really know what else to say about it. I accomplish what I tried to do in the first 18 and now I'm going to go try to do the exact same thing and hit it in the fairways and knock it on the greens and go from there.

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