THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 30, 1996

Tommy Tolles

WES SEELEY: Leader is Tommy Tolles at 14 under par, 202. Tell us about your day and why you look so dry?

TOMMY TOLLES: Well, thanks to the Gore-tex Nike rain suit; that is why I am dry. Little bit miserable out there right now. Fortunately, we only played the last 3, 4 holes in a downpour. But I am glad I am not out there right now.

Q. Did it rain the whole time? Was it raining when you started?

TOMMY TOLLES: It was pretty steady. Midway through the round, off and on at times; sometimes I would bring the umbrella out; sometimes you can put it away. But the last four holes, there was little bit of water starting to develop on the greens, in certain spots, in the lower spots. And then when we got to 17, you know, the island is always going to fill up with water; always going to be the first green to fill up. Right around the pin, there was a little bit of water. But it really didn't affect the putts too much. It would have if we would have come there maybe half hour; maybe an hour later.

Q. Given the conditions and position you were in today, did it feel like a round -- you really brought out one of your better rounds?

TOMMY TOLLES: Yes, I would think that today's was almost as good as yesterday's. I didn't make all the glamorous 25 and 50-foot putts, you know, like I did yesterday, but I was always in the fairway. I was always on the green. I was always taking my 2-putts. You know, par was a very good score no matter what hole you were playing. And I think I made four birdies and a bogey, and 14 pars; was pretty good round for me.

WES SEELEY: Give us birdies and bogeys.

TOMMY TOLLES: Justin started off early in the first hole. He knocked, I believe, an 8-iron a couple of feet from the hole and that kind of set the pace for the day. I didn't want to go out and be a defensive player today, but it almost turned out that way. But birdying the first hole kind of got my motor going. On the second hole I had 253 to the hole and hit 2-iron over the back of the green, obviously had a little bit of adrenaline flowing. Made a good pitch up to about eight feet and then knocked that one in. And then the next hole, hit 7-iron right at the flagstick; pitched about two feet from the cup and then released about 15 to 16 feet beyond the hole, almost on the back fringe. And perfect type of birdie putt everybody looks for, up down, right to left. Knocked that one in. And everything just was kind of honky-dory until I hit the 6th tee box, and we had a little bit of breeze in our face. I wanted to stay aggressive, and I went ahead and pulled out the driver and hit about 30 degrees off line over in the cabbage palms and was fortunate to have a shot to where I can pitch out. I almost played with my heart, you know, tried to take a 5-iron, create a shot. Instead, I played with my head and just pitched it up there short of the green in a good position that I can get it up-and-down, and fortunately I did. And then what else?

WES SEELEY: I have got lots of pars to 12.

TOMMY TOLLES: Was playing pretty steady. Hit a lot of fairways and greens. Then 12, I hit 2-iron just in the left semi cut; and had a wedge and blind shot around that hill that is on the left side of the fairway there; just hit a wedge up there and landed about seven or eight feet behind the hole; just kind of rolled back down the hill to about four feet; just one of those putts you get started on the line and it won't miss. 16, I hit probably the best tee shot I have hit all day, and hit it, tried to hit a 4-iron. It is hard to judge how far a ball is going to go when it is raining this hard, but fortunately enough I didn't quite catch the 4-iron, but I was fortunate enough that it stayed in the air long enough. I thought, at best, after I hit it that it maybe would get to the green-side bunker, but fortunately it flew on the downslope of the bunker and released down to where it was a fairly easy 2-putt from the fringe.

Q. How far did you have?

TOMMY TOLLES: Probably 40 feet.

Q. I mean, for the --

TOMMY TOLLES: I had 197 to the front, which is where I was trying to fly it.

WES SEELEY: Then 18.

TOMMY TOLLES: 18 I was just trying to get it home. It was raining really hard. My caddie asked me if I wanted to wash the face off my driver. I just wanted to hit. Hit another one of those wild tee shots. Actually I got pretty fortunate, it landed almost up on top the hill, it was so far right that it hit the top of the hill and rolled almost down-- almost on the cart path. And tried to lay up to where I gave myself about 70 or 80 yards. So just took 8-iron off the hill and if I remember right, I think I had 68 yards to the hole, and I hit a really good approach shot; just stopped where it was kind of spun down the slope a little bit, about ten feet, and unfortunately missed the putt. But all and all it was a good round.

WES SEELEY: Questions.

Q. Are you concerned at all at the start of the run checking the scoreboard at all; guys went early, really put up some low scores?

TOMMY TOLLES: I saw Ernie shot 65 today. Saw Michael Bradley was, you know, I didn't notice the leaderboard until I was on the 8th green. I looked up and saw Mike Bradley at 12-under-par. There are some low scores out here and the course is playing soft right now, there is obviously going to be some low scores. It is kind of a strange round after yesterday. It is tough to follow a real low round with another low round. It doesn't happen very often. But I played really consistent today and let it be where I am.

Q. When you see that when you come out it is hard not to feel like these guys are really coming after you?

TOMMY TOLLES: Well, that is what -- the leaders set the pace, and people are always firing to get one better. If I was, you know, ten shots better than what I am now, they'd still be firing at me, and there is no set amount. Everybody is out there to try and birdie every hole and play as best as they possibly can.

Q. If Justin hadn't birdied the first hole, what might you have done differently?

TOMMY TOLLES: I might have played every hole a little differently; a little less aggressive; maybe a few more 3-woods off certain tees; maybe a 2-iron off of the 6th tee. Then I hit driver into the trees, but you know, when someone just drives it right down the middle of the fairway and knocks his first iron shot a foot from the hole, it is an eye opener, and it is basically telling you that if you play defensive golf or, you know, play too careful and don't make enough birdies today, that you are going to be somewhere else than the lead. By him setting that pace early, it really helped me out.

Q. Is it tough playing with somebody, though, who struggles the rest of the way or how do you keep --

TOMMY TOLLES: No, because if he hit it in the fairway, I was in the rough, and if I was in the fairway he was in the rough, so we really didn't see much of each other for most of the day. Plus we were under the umbrellas 12 of the 18 holes, so it was pretty tough to hold conversations between ourselves. He struggled today, and he will have more bad rounds, but he will have a lot better rounds too. And he is a great player. He has made a lot more than I have, so I am not going to downplay his game.

Q. How big were your birdies on 2 and 3 then following in that sequence, Tommy?

TOMMY TOLLES: For me it was a big emotional boost because I thought it might start carrying into what I was doing yesterday with the weather holding off like it did, I thought as long -- had a legit birdie putt on the first hole to about 12 feet and I didn't hit a very good putt, but I thought it was just good enough to where it would go in. But the putts I hit on 2 and 3 were all just perfect speed and started them right where I had read them because I was kind of hoping that everything would kind of carry on like it did yesterday, but unfortunately the rain came and kind of hampered everything a little bit.

Q. You said last week that you weren't really ready to play in the final pairing on Sunday, but you had to do it any way. How do you feel about tomorrow?

TOMMY TOLLES: Well, I was talking to a few people out there. Some of the people were screaming "Tommy, go ahead and do it today because there is not going to be a tomorrow." I think that is probably the most special event that can occur in a guy's career, his first victory on the 18th green with everybody cheering. For years I have watched Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer and Greg Norman walking down the 18th hole waiving to the gallery and saluting them for their graciousness. I think it is going to be the most incredible feeling ever, apart from the adrenaline, the pressure and the focus and everything, you know, that is something that I would like to get myself the opportunity to have. And if it occurs tomorrow, you know, I wouldn't want to miss it.

Q. Where might you be? (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

TOMMY TOLLES: I am just saying, like if we weren't to play tomorrow or something like that, I wouldn't be able to experience that. 72 hole tournaments were designated to be 72 holes to allow the best players in the field the best opportunity to win a tournament. When you cut it off at 36 or 54, sometimes you are not giving the best players in the field a chance, and I would like to think I might be the best player in 54 holes but maybe not after 72. I would like to be able to prove myself and a lot of guys look at people who have won 36 hole events, 54 hole events and they don't really credit them for a victory. But I don't think there is anybody that has ever won a 72 hole event that they won't gladly hand over the trophy and bow their heads to them for a day.

Q. Will this go to Monday, Wes, if it is rained out tomorrow?

WES SEELEY: Haven't asked David that question, but that is -- that is something they are considering. I haven't heard a definite answer on that.

Q. What do you take away from last week and what did you learn that will help you tomorrow?

TOMMY TOLLES: We talked about it a little yesterday but the fact that I sat there and watched someone win I watched him hit every shot, every putt, and every time he got into a situation where he was in trouble or every time, you know, that you know, that he was in an easy situation, he never dropped his guard once and his concentration level was just, you know, was incredible and stayed focused. All those old clichés, but that is -- I watched him; watched how it was done and now I know how it is done. And the position I was -- I never, until last year I played with Hal Sutton final round at BC. He shot 11-under-par in the final round, but outside of that, I have never seen anybody win a golf tournament. I haven't really seen how it is done. Obviously, I could critique myself on the NIKE TOUR I have won, but it is harder to be on the outside looking in. It is a lot easier to be on the inside looking out. Just watching Scotty last week, starting to learn all the tricks of the trade.

Q. Last week you went in one behind; this time you are up by 2. How will that play on your mind?

TOMMY TOLLES: I will let you know in the morning. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.) I don't know. Almost everything this week and last week is a first time experience for me, so I am not real sure what to expect and I don't want to put anymore pressure on myself than there already is.

Q. Have you heard from the guy from the Amoco station in Flat Rock?

TOMMY TOLLES: Actually, I was wrong. It is Exxon.

Q. Will you talk to your teacher tonight and under the pressure you experienced, are you happy with how you have held up?

TOMMY TOLLES: I am really excited about how I held up. No, I can't talk to my teacher. He is out-of-town. But I didn't really know what to expect this morning. Little nervous on the first tee and really nervous on practice tee and putting green this morning. But after you know, Justin got the ball rolling after the first hole, everything kind of went in a different scenario and pretty well until the last hole I was a little nervous. After that tee shot, wasn't real sure where the ball went. Plus standing in the back there are two white frames on one of the tents, kind of looked down for a second thought they might have been OB stakes.

Q. What do you think the people in Fort Myers, the Junior Golf Association is going to think about you and Bradley up there?

TOMMY TOLLES: Don't forget Nolan too. We have almost renamed Fort Myers to Henke-ville. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.) It is got to be good publicity for the Junior Golf Association. My mom was president of the Junior Golf for one or two years and Nolan's mom was president for a couple of years. So we are pretty tight and I still -- every time I am down in Fort Myers I am always scrounging through the newspapers and all the articles my dad cuts out for me so I can learn some of the younger player names, so if I bump into them I won't look like a stuck up person.

Q. Is it true Bradley always beat you?

TOMMY TOLLES: Always. We played our freshman year of high school golf together at Cyprus Lake High School. And he was by far, the best player in the area. I am glad Nolan was there because he took some of media hype away or else it would have made everything look a little worse, but fortunately Mike moved away to Valrico. When Nolan graduated and went Florida State all of a sudden I started getting my name in the papers once in a while.

Q. Will people be gathering anywhere in Flat Rock to watch you tomorrow?

TOMMY TOLLES: I know a couple of the pubs that will have a few people, but not in Flat Rock - Hendersonville. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

Q. Are you aware of everything that comes with this victory and how do you kind of filter that out?

TOMMY TOLLES: We had our player meeting the other night and Tim told us that they were bumping up the purse extra half million dollars; got a little oohs and ahhs and few chuckles out of few players here. As far as I am concerned, a tournament is a tournament. It is not a major, but this is probably the best tournament outside of the 4 Majors. Obviously, players who have won many tournaments, they just want to keep winning Majors. It is the most important thing to them, but I want to win a golf tournament. I don't care if it is the best or the worst and just because this is the best, I am not going to treat it any different as the worst.

Q. 10 year exemption, you are aware of that?

TOMMY TOLLES: Well, that is -- I'd take a two year exemption. It wouldn't matter. Like I said, I don't want to put anymore pressure on myself than is already there.

Q. Is your wife here this week?

TOMMY TOLLES: Yeah, she didn't come out for -- she came out for the first few holes and after I knocked it in the tree in the one hole, she made a bolt for the condo. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

Q. Is it possible to spend $630,000 in Flat Rock or Hendersonville?

TOMMY TOLLES: I can probably -- like I said, I can probably buy Flat Rock and rename it. No, there is absolutely no way you can do it in a day.

Q. Did you say you are more nervous or excited about the prospects of winning tomorrow?

TOMMY TOLLES: If yesterday was today, nervous. But since, you know, I got one more round under my belt and a little bit more experience, I am more excited now. I will watch a little less TV tonight. Last night I wanted to see everything on TV. I wanted to watch Sports Center; watch all the highlights; saw my name on ESPN and CNN, after a while my heart was so inflated that I thought I was going to explode in my chest so I had to get away from the TV and went out for dinner last night kind of late, but my -- just got caught up in all the hype for a while and kind of realized that is not the way to do it.

Q. What would you rename Flat Rock?

TOMMY TOLLES: We will worry about that when it comes.

WES SEELEY: Anything else?

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