BUICK CLASSIC

June 10, 2000

Chris Perry

CHRIS PERRY: Well, I was telling Jennifer Mills that when I make up my schedule, pretty much Westchester is right at the top of my list. I have a pretty good track record here as far as good finishes and stuff and I really enjoy this golf course. Shot-makers course, small greens, you've got to have a lot of touch around the greens, and I seem to always play well here. Last year was actually disappointing finishing third. No disrespect to Duffy Waldorf or Dennis Paulson. I didn't give it away, but I just felt like the way I played I should have at least been in a playoff or could have won. I've had several other good finishes here. Just comfortable on the course. Have played -- people have asked me how I've played this year. In fact, I think I've only been in the media room a couple time this is year, if at all. Just haven't putted as well. My stats show that I've hit the ball just as well. Just haven't quite had enough low, low scores to get me in contention. I've had, I don't know, 5th place, and 14th at the Masters, 14th somewhere else, but I seem to always be making too many bogeys to be able to actually win. I've eliminated that; and the course is playing tough. So just kind of hang in there. If you hit a lot of fairways, you're probably going to shoot a pretty good score here.

CHRIS PERRY: I think I was tied for 10th going into Atlanta and then they washed out the round. And I'm not sure how far back I was. I think I was six behind, five or six behind, and then we washed out the round. And then going into Augusta, I was way back. Had a good round the last day to finish 14th and I had another 14th. The 17th at Muirfield. So I've been playing pretty good, but not, you know...

CHRIS PERRY: So far this year. It's just a tough course. If you're a little off here, it's tough to make pars here, but if you're driving it straight and hitting your irons in the right position this, golf course is not long. 6,700 yards, but you've got to hit it pretty straight and hit it on the right side of the greens to be able to score.

CHRIS PERRY: Just worked and patient with it. Worked at it a little bit. Probably just loosened my grip a little bit. I think when I get to missing a lot of putts and getting frustrated, I start taking way too much time. Tried reading it from six different angles instead of staying with your routine. Only two things can happen when you putt: Either it goes in or it doesn't. See, I don't even look at the leaderboard. I think I saw a couple pluses by a few guys, but it's me against the golf course. That's pretty much the way I approach it. Tomorrow I'll do the same. I'll play my game plan and see where I stand maybe on 12 or something like that; see if I need to change my game plan at all if I'm too far back. But I know if I play the course like I'm supposed to, I should be there in the end again, hopefully.

CHRIS PERRY: Round was, you know, pretty solid. Bogeyed 8. I hit a good drive and came off my iron shot in the front right bunker, tough shot, and hit it out about 10, 12 feet and missed that. Just over the green on 9 and kind of stubbed my chip actually and made an 8-footer. They had the tee up 30 yards on 10. They usually do that. I think it was 287 yards to the pin on the par 4, and I was -- only about 12 -, 15-foot wide gap that you can drive it on. My ball went right by the pin. I hit driver. Had about a 45-footer. Pretty good putt. Went about six feet past. Made that one coming back. 11, I had a great opportunity 9-footer straight up the hill. Steve Lowery had the same line his broke left and my broke right. Good par on 12 to keep my round going. I really think -- they are all key holes, but if you can get by 1, 4, 8, 11, 12 and 15, you should shoot a pretty good score. Like I said, the golf course isn't that long. If you finesse the course, you have a lot of birdie opportunities for the tour guys if you keep it in the fairway. 13, had a birdie putt there from about 20 feet. Left it short about two feet and made that. Par 3, Steve Lowery hit an 8-iron in front of me. Went a little bit long and to the right just past the pin. I hit a 9-iron. It looked like it took one big bounce and looked like it disappeared into the hole, and I hit it 10 inches. Tap-in there. 17, I hit a wild drive, hit it to the left in the trap. 18, smoked the drive all the way around the corner and had -- I think about 230 -- 227, I think it was, to the pin. I hit a 3-iron, landed on the green and just went over. Had about a 40-foot chip shot. Pitch-and-run with a 5-iron to about four and a half feet past the hole and made that. But we had a good group. Steve Lowery played well, John Cook played well. When that happens, it kind of brings the group -- when you're struggling, it seems like everybody struggles. I played with Ernie -- I don't know, I'm either going to get Ernie or Cook. John and I went to the same school. We played together today. So the pairing will be nice, and I know that the New York people will be out tomorrow. They all are on Sunday.

CHRIS PERRY: I can't really control what those guys do. I don't even know what Phil shot. I know Ernie is the same as me, but, you know they have got pretty good track records, and you're talking about two of the guys, Top-5, Top-10 in the world. Great players. Know how to win. Phil is having a fantastic year. Ernie is playing pretty darned well. But I can't really get wrapped up in what they are doing. I just have to play my game. Kind of an old story, but that's what you have to do. You have to think about what you're doing, and I think I can win. I had a great year last year, didn't win, but had 14 Top-10 finishes; so I had to do something write right. With a little bit of luck, I probably could have won two or three my myself. Hopefully, just get a good warm-up, and hopefully it's not too hot. I had to get a Pepsi out of the -- from the 15th hole out of the cameraman's thing. I needed a little sugar. I was getting a little woozy, but the reason that was was when you tee off around 11:00, you actually miss lunch. I don't like eating a lot on the golf course; so that's a tough tee time when you're between 10:00 and 11:30, unless you eat a couple bars on the course; you lose a little bit of energy.