What they said: Ryuji Imada

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MORE INTERVIEWS: HP Byron Nelson Championship transcript archive

Q. (No microphone.)

RYUJI IMADA: It was. Obviously the last five holes are the toughest on the golf course and I got through 14 with a par, 15, wind was coming from the left side, I was trying to hug the left side, and I pulled it a little bit, came over the top.

Just a bad bogey there, but 17 and 18, straight into the wind, obviously I was trying to protect it from going right on 17, and I hit a bad first putt, and I felt comfortable on my second putt but maybe I hit it a bit too hard.

Obviously I was a little nervous out there. I haven't been in this position in a while. I'm glad to get back in this position, and I'm very happy with the way I handled my play today.

Q. Conducted yourself with class all the way. I hope you learned from it and I enjoyed walking with you today.

RYUJI IMADA: Thank you.

Q. Can you comment on today as a whole and also on that last hole.

RYUJI IMADA: Today as a whole, obviously I didn't finish off like I wanted to. So it definitely leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but overall I played well.

The wind was strong, the course was difficult, the golf course was set up really tough. You know, after 14 holes I think I played really great golf, and a hiccup on the 15th tee shot, wind was clipping left to right and I didn't want to miss it right and I came over the top a little bit.

Second shot, pretty good third shot into the green, I had about 12 feet for birdie, left it short, and 17 I was -- I was playing it left of the water, and I may have pulled it a little bit, but I think I hit a pretty good shot. I thought the wind was more to the left side, and I thought it might have taken it more closer to the green, and I was trying to shoot for the green. I had a great first putt. Second putt, I don't know how -- I hit a good putt, left edge, might have been too firm, but it was a good putt, unfortunately it lipped out.

Q. Were you on the ridge on 17?

RYUJI IMADA: On the left side, yeah. And 18, it's a really difficult tee shot for me, on the left, forcing you left to right like that. It's tough to start at the water and come back to the fairway. I aimed at the fairway hoping that it was strong enough that the wind wouldn't take it but it did.

Q. (No microphone.)

RYUJI IMADA: You know, it's hard to control. You can't -- it's a four-- (crowd noise) -- and I went back and the gust was strong at that time, and the bunker shot I thought I hit a decent one, obviously the gust took it and it was -- it took it left and stopped on the down slope, so it was unfortunate that the gust was that strong. Obviously I was nervous. I knew I had to make it to get in the playoff, and it was downhill, but it was obviously into the wind.

I didn't factor that in. I didn't want to hit it 4 feet by and have to make that one come back, but I don't know, obviously I'm not -- I haven't played well this year, and I got nervous.

I don't think I played it bad because I got nervous, I think I handled myself really well out there. It's the way it goes.