A look at some of the quotes from the four finalists after day four of the WGC Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club, where Justin Thomas continues on the path to World No. 1.
JUSTIN THOMAS
You could move to No. 1 in the world tomorrow, which is a big deal in itself, but an even bigger deal right before the Masters. Would you embrace all the attention that comes with that? It would seem to kind of multiply the hype on you before Augusta.
THOMAS: I mean the timing, I don’t care when it happens, I just hope it happens and it happens for a while.
I don’t know what to say because I’ve never experienced it. I don’t know what’s going to come with it. But I just hope it happens tomorrow.
Other than that then I hope it happens the next tournament. But I’m worried — it will and would be a great accomplishment. But I’m just worried about trying to beat Bubba Watson tomorrow.
Beat Si Woo Kim 6 & 5 and Kyle Stanley 2 Up
BUBBA WATSON
Your next opponent, you’re the only one that stands between him and world No. 1. I wonder if you have any comment on that?
WATSON: Does he have to win the tournament, too? For the right price, he can win (laughter).
No. Paycheck? What? You didn’t hear that. We’ll take that from the record book.
No, I mean, it’s fun. Did he win already? No. See?
Beat Brian Harman 2 & 1 and Kiradech Aphibarnrat 5 & 3
KEVIN KISNER
I’m sure you get excited about all the matches this week. But given his record, his reputation, did you get more jacked up over this one? And if so, why?
KISNER: I was more jacked to beat Kuch, really. Kuch is such a good player and just game — and our games are so similar. And I think we both made eight birdies this morning and I barely snuck out of there. I thought it was a lot of fun.
I don’t know Ian that well, so I don’t really have a history with him, other than watching him kill us in the Ryder Cup.
Beat Matt Kuchar 1 Up and Ian Poulter 8 & 6
ALEX NOREN
From Torrey and Honda Classic now to here, how do you balance the maybe frustration of not winning yet but the idea that you keep giving yourself chances?
NOREN: Yeah, I view it as really fortunate to have started this year a lot better than I started any other year, having two good finishes, like you said. It was really close at Torrey. Honda was not so close.
I’m more happy with the game, having the chance to be up there than maybe winning once and having a bunch of very bad finishes. I’m happy with — I don’t know how many times I’ve played now, but six or seven tournaments this year and the average scores and the average — all the stats are so much better than I thought I was going to do this year.
Beat Patrick Reed 5 & 3 and Cam Smith 4 & 2
Credits: ASAP Sports, Getty Images