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U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 13, 2014Jerry HaasEDMOND, OKLAHOMA Q. Best round of the tournament today for you, 69. Started off hot with a birdie on 1, 33 on the front nine. Come out with a different mindset today? JERRY HAAS: No. I texted my brother Jay. I said I just think the more I play, I'm a little more comfortable with my surroundings. I was fortunate to get in with a sponsors exemption at the Pebble Beach tournament in September. I shot 68 the first day and I birdied the second hole the next day and I was all of a sudden in second place, and I got all excited and I shot 79. Then the last day I played with Nick Price and Roger Chapman and Corey Pavin, so for me to be playing with those guys, I played very well. Cory birdied the last two holes to tie me, and I bogeyed last two holes and shot 72 on a hard day. I left there with some confidence. Like I texted Jay, I'm just a little more comfortable with the surroundings. Golf is all about there is nobody blocking your shot or tackling you on top of your swing. It's all about you just have to kind of be able to mentally persevere. I struggle with that. The first day I 3-putted three or four times. First day I actually played okay to shoot 78. I made a ton of bogeys. The second day I made a great up-and-down, made three birdies on back, made a good up-and-down on the last hole to make the cut. Didn't play that bad yesterday, 74. But then today, you know, I birdied the first and probably maybe the best tee shots I hit were on No. 3. I hit a 3-wood and beautiful looking 7-iron, just nipped the edge of the tree and shot it dead right into bunker, made bogey. In the air I was thinking, oh, man, this will be 10, 12 feet for birdie on a hole I struggled with this week, made a couple of bogeys or a bogey. And then I hit it fairly close on 5, didn't make it. Up-and-down on 6 and then 7 I birdied. And then finally drove it in the fairway on 9 and hit a wedge to about 12 feet and made it. I chipped in on 10. I really like -- when I played in the U.S. Amateur here, this was the front side which is now the back. I like this nine. And then I didn't get any chances. The drivable hole I drove it up by the green and I flopped it and it came back down to me which is a big mistake, but I made a good up-and-down. I drove it in the fairway bunker on the par-5 and ended up making a good 5. So I never really -- drove it in the rough on 12, and I had to hit a 7-iron in off a big hook lie for my third. Last hole I actually, it was hanging up on the top there, and I barely could stand. If I was left-handed -- I needed Phil to hit that one for me. I hacked it down the fairway and hit a 9-iron, a nice shot and I didn't hit a very good putt. I really wanted to make that one. Anyway, shooting in the 60s for a golf coach, you know, I'm playing a lot for obviously myself but, you know, for kids to come play for me at Wake, I feel like I have a lot to offer. You know, your team is watching, your players. I had so many texts on Friday when I made the cut, so I'm sure they are pretty pumped for me today. Q. Being a coach, what does this allow you to now go to high school seniors, their living rooms, trying to recruit them? JERRY HAAS: Recruiting is going on. We have three quality players coming on in 2014, we are already done for 2015, have three verbals from some kids shooting some awful good scores, No. 1 player in the country. The next five or six years at Wake are going to be really, really good time to be a golf member and be a golf coach. So people, oh, are you going to back? No, I have no status, you know. I'm too busy. I mean, I could find time but I just don't have time to book all these things. I will maybe try to get into Dick's Sporting Goods event in August, and maybe making the cut here and having a good day today can maybe convince them I will get another shot. It's great seeing a guy -- talking with John Cook on the range and hanging out with these guys and seeing them, they're always very nice to me and I appreciate that. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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