THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 31, 1996

Tommy Tolles

WES SEELEY: Tommy Tolles, 69, 64, 69, 72. 14-under. And after a solo third last week, tied for second this week. Well, how does it all feel?

TOMMY TOLLES: Well, for the most part, pretty happy. I had a lot of opportunities today to really screw things up, and a lot of opportunities to make some great things happen. Unfortunately -- fortunately neither happened, or the bad one didn't happen, and unfortunately, I didn't get a whole lot out of my round, so... Perfect day to play golf today. It was a little soft out there. Every once in a while you might get a little spot of mud on your ball which makes it tough to hit good solid iron shots, but there wasn't a breath of wind and the course was pretty much at our mercy. Unfortunately, for myself, I just didn't get the job done today.

WES SEELEY: You want to take us around, starting with the birdie on 4.

TOMMY TOLLES: Yeah, David and I both kind of got off to a shaky start. We drove it in the right rough on the first hole and he drew a really bad lie; ended up making bogey. Like I was talking about yesterday, Justin getting off to his fast start, kind of set the tone for myself and with David kind of struggling early on, I was kind of backed into my defensive mode, instead of trying to hit great shots, I was trying to not to hit bad ones. On the fourth hole both kind of settled down a little bit. I think we were both even par then. And I hit a good tee shot down the fairway; had a great angle from the left side of the fairway to the flag and I hit a sand wedge that landed about pin-high and then rolled down the slope about probably 12 or 15 feet short of the hole and big, big swinging putt. I was fortunate to make that one. And then on 6, I hit I played safe there. I learned from everybody's -- everybody telling me yesterday that driver was not the play so, I played with a 2-iron today and hit a 9-iron on the front fringe which was only about 10 or twelve feet from the hole and I made it. From now on that hole is a 2-iron. And then 9, I drove it perfect everyday. Three days right in the left center of the fairway great angle to lay up. I think Friday was the only day I missed the fairway; drove it in the left rough and had a perfect lie and three days I drove it underneath the trees over on the hill on the right and today unfortunately, I had hooked it in the bunker which is absolutely the worst spot you could ever hit it. From that swing on, it was 6 on the score card all the way. And I tried to turn it into 7 as best as I could, but -- that is the way this game goes.

WES SEELEY: Birdied 12.

TOMMY TOLLES: 12, I played much like I did the 6th hole. Good solid iron shot down the right side; was able to see the flagstick. 116 yards and it just was a perfect large sand wedge for me. And hit a good shot; landed about four feet from the hole; spun back a few feet, and ended up about eight feet from the pin and knock that one in.

WES SEELEY: 2-iron again?

TOMMY TOLLES: Yeah, 2-iron off the tee. And then on 15 we were standing back near the fairway waiting for David to hit; next thing you know you thought 20,000 people just won the lottery. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.) I have heard -- I have been to the Masters before and watched it and I have seen Nicklaus make birdies and -- I have heard him make birdies and you don't hear a lot of roars any louder than the one I heard today. What did he do on 16 anyway?

WES SEELEY: 3.

Q. Eagle.

TOMMY TOLLES: I know, but long putt?

WES SEELEY: Long 30 foot. 3 --

TOMMY TOLLES: We couldn't see anything, but we heard it and by the time we got into the green, the scoreboard had already you know, put him from 15 to 17 and standing back there in the fairway and my caddie said I guess we have to make birdies now like everybody else. Put a bad swing on it and hit it in one of the worse spots that you could in the grass bunker there over on the left; had to play defensive with my chip. I had to try and make the putt to save par. It wasn't like I was going to hit a miraculous chip under the situation. Funny enough we got over there on 16th tee box and those same 20,000 people who won the lottery for a second time. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.) I don't know where he was, but whatever it was, it was spectacular. The whole roar for him making the putt and his playing partner putting out to the walk to the 18th green, we just sat there and both kind of smiled at each other, and it was not a whole lot we could do about it. All I could pray for was one of those killer fast finishes, eagle, birdie, birdie. Fortunately, on 16 I drove it in a little valley left side of the fairway and I needed -- I actually needed to cut a 3-wood, but there is no way you can get 3-wood up and over the hill. I tried to hit a 2-iron left it and caught it a little thin and it hit the hill 20 feet in front of me and fortunately it didn't go in the water, but ended up in a spot that made it awfully tough to make eagle. Probably 40 yards from the green. Last three holes I had great opportunities, not to really catch Couples, but you know, to really make myself proud, and unfortunately I pushed everyone of them just enough to where they ran right over the right edge of the hole.

Q. I guess winning over 300 grand feels like you won the lottery or does it feel like you lost?

TOMMY TOLLES: The three putts I had on the last three holes were as basic, you know, that is like Johnny Miller said last week that is stuff you learn in first grade. All of them were right edge putts and I pushed them all to an inch or two outside the hole and I can only wish them in, you know. Those are the putts you practice everyday on the putting green, 360 days of the year and you -- the days you are not on the golf course, you are throwing balls down on your carpet watching TV, putting into the cup and I have got my wife, a couple years ago she bought me one of those little putting machines where you can take the Astroturf and tilt it to the side. I don't know how many times I have lifted it up on the right side and practiced the right edge putts from ten feet. I have won the TPC over 100 times, but not today. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

Q. What were the lengths of those three putts, would you say?

TOMMY TOLLES: 16 was probably about ten feet. On 17, probably about six feet. And then 18, probably about twelve feet and 18, though was the longest of the three; was the easiest one. I probably could have started it left center and still would have gone. It was pretty close to straight. The ball starts anywhere inside the hole and it goes in. That is why I was so -- was disappointed.

Q. 15, how long was the putt?

TOMMY TOLLES: For par?

Q. Yeah.

TOMMY TOLLES: Probably about 15 feet.

Q. With the conditions, did you have an idea in your head what kind of score you might need to win?

TOMMY TOLLES: Well, there wasn't a breath of wind, starting today, so I had to assume that it wasn't really picturing 18 under but I thought 16-under would have been a good score. I have got two-shot lead over my playing partner and, you know, I am not thinking that he is going to shoot 5 or 6-under. He is feeling the same pressure I am. He is a young man like myself, and I pictured maybe the best score coming out of the pack a 5 or a 6-under putting them at fourteen or fifteen. Unfortunately, Freddy proved me wrong, but 64 was very capable today.

Q. How aware were you of the fact that the two guys that were chasing were two of the premier players in the world and how do you think that may have affected you?

TOMMY TOLLES: To me, you know, every time I had the lead today, and yesterday, and the last couple of days, I don't -- it doesn't really bother me who is behind me if Nicklaus or Palmer or Couples or Colin Montgomerie is behind me; just the fact that people are -- they are shooting for me and shooting for one better than my score, you know, I had the butterflies today and I won't lie, but you know, I was just -- I don't know -- it is kind of hard to describe. Their play didn't affect my play. I was in control of myself and unfortunately coming down the stretch, I didn't do too good a job.

Q. Were you always aware of where they were? Were you scoreboard-watching?

TOMMY TOLLES: I am not going to pull one of those Parnevik's saying I didn't look at the board. That is what they are there for. That is one of the biggest thrills for me when I am playing a round of golf to see my name up there. Honestly, that is -- that means a lot to me and every time today I watched my name go from the first to the third position to the fourth position, or every time it went back to the top, you know, that is -- it is a great feeling. Unfortunately, I wished it was there after 72 holes and not 62.

Q. The club you had into 15, the iron?

TOMMY TOLLES: It was a 7-iron. It was 174 yards and that is -- if I could drop 30 golf balls on the driving range, I'd hit them all, you know, hopefully between 168 and 175. The perfect club for the perfect situation, and unfortunately I put a bad swing on it.

Q. Anything about yourself today in particular, that --

TOMMY TOLLES: I thought I would get a little bit more upset at myself today. I didn't play with a whole lot of emotion. I try not to get too excited when things are going good, but a lot of times when they are not going, so good, I tend not so much to get myself down on myself, but to kick myself in the rear. I never could really get really excited about today. There is so much at stake, you know, for 29 years old, I could have -- if I had played good today, I would be out here until I was 39 and then I would have been an old man and that would have been --

Q. Hey. Hey.

Q. Hey. Hey. Hey.

Q. Hey.

Q. Hey.

Q. Hey.

Q. Yo.

TOMMY TOLLES: Then, that was -- but when things were going bad today, I really couldn't get myself motivated. Just one of those days, everybody says, you know, I just wasn't ready to play golf today. I was just kind of in a fog just watching myself play stupid and everything else.

Q. How much of the news of this do you suppose is going to filter back to Flat Rock and what will be the effect?

TOMMY TOLLES: My mom, I just saw her out here in the parking lot. She has already called all the ladies at home, did you watch my son on TV; did you watch my son on TV and, yeah, we are happy for him; tell him everything is okay. She started the web. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

Q. Tommy, you said you didn't let what was going on in front of you affect you, but didn't you kind of let it affect you at 15 there?

TOMMY TOLLES: Well, I had to change my attitude. Nobody is shooting at me anymore. All of a sudden Couples moves one in front of me. So you know, all of a sudden I got to be the attacker, and you know, it just pretty much changes my mental approach to the way I was going to play the hole. Instead of just settling for the middle of the green I had to fire at the flagstick because there is only 4 holes left at that point. I can't sit there in the last four holes especially waiting for that tee shot on 18 since I am not real fond of that tee shot to sit there and just go ahead and play passive. I had to play aggressive. I put a bad swing on it. If I had to have the shot all over again, things may have turned out differently.

Q. What iron did you hit on number 18, your second shot?

TOMMY TOLLES: We had 205, and there was a dead oak tree over there. I wish they would cut it down because it was right in my way. 205. I had to play it at the scoreboard which is probably 20 or 25 yards out in the water, and I was going to make sure I took plenty of club, and I took a 3-iron and actually the ball went through a part of the tree and ended upright almost pin-high, a little bit short pin-high over there on the right rough.

Q. Will you do anything different next time you are in this position since you said you really couldn't get into it mentally today?

TOMMY TOLLES: I hope I do something different or else I am going to live a real disappointing life. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

Q. You go from 3 to 2, do you play at Atlanta next week?

TOMMY TOLLES: Yeah, everybody was talking about Lehman doing that at The Masters last year and it didn't work, so, no, I am not going to think about that.

Q. You are not in Augusta?

TOMMY TOLLES: No.

Q. You are playing next week?

TOMMY TOLLES: Yes, ma'am.

WES SEELEY: Anything else for --

Q. Are you more disappointed or more angry with yourself?

TOMMY TOLLES: Angry. You know, it is so many good things could have come out of today and you know had I played my best and finished, you know, in the middle of the pack, whatever, I would be more excited. I know there is a lot of good golf shots left in my bag and I know there is a lot more putts left in my -- coming out of my putter, and you know, unfortunately as much as I try to motivate myself to want it as bad as everybody else does, I couldn't do it and I am disappointed in my game, but I am angry at myself because I defeated myself mentally today; not physically. And that is everybody says that is 99 percent of the game or 80% of the game.

WES SEELEY: Anything else?

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