JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 26, 2002

Pat Bates

TODD BUDNICK: We'd like to welcome Pat Bates with a little song, I think first. (Women singing happy birthday)

(APPLAUSE)

PAT BATES: Thank you very much.

TODD BUDNICK: Happy birthday, Pat, what a way to celebrate it today career low, 9-under, 62 today. Let's just get right to it. Talk about it.

PAT BATES: A lot of fun. I birdied the first two holes about 10-footers, and actually hit a perfect drive on 4 kind of a funny hole with the tree in the middle bounced dead right into the rough. I caught a 7-iron, hit it over the green right. Had a weird stance, chipped up about seven feet, made bogey.

Then went up to 6. 9-iron about a foot. Birdie. I hit 8-iron -- 8th hole, I hit a 9-iron about 15 feet.

Then 9th hole, a tough hole, good drive and nice 6-iron about seven feet birdied 9. So that kind of got me going.

Then 10 had a sand wedge from 100 yards, almost made it, about a foot behind the hole. Kicked that one in.

13 I made about a 20-footer on 13.

14 I just decided to hit driver, hit it perfect, right over that bunker just kicked way down there actually about 10 yards short of the green perfect, so with a back pin just chipped and run pitching wedge back there about a foot, tapped it in.

Had a chance to birdie 15. 10-footer missed it.

16th hole, I hit an 8-iron about three feet right behind the hole. Knocked that in.

No. 17, I hit a 3-wood on the green in two. Had about a 50-footer for eagle. Really a good putt up the hill just lipped out for birdie there.

Then the 18th hole is a pretty good tee shot. Nice tee shot down the middle, had a 9-iron in. Left it about maybe twelve feet away and just missed it low.

Always nice to play a solid hole even if you don't birdie. Yeah, great birthday present to shoot 62.

TODD BUDNICK: Well, 62 ties the low round on the PGA TOUR this year. It also ties the tournament record here at the Deere Run which was held by David Frost and Kirk Triplett. Of course it is one off the tournament records for all courses here.

Is that something you do, just get rolling today, did you get up and feel good?

PAT BATES: I felt good actually. We played late yesterday and got done about 5 or so. I knew I was going to get an early wake-up call. I was in bed talking to my wife at about 7:30, ended up falling asleep probably about 9, 9:30 or so. Yeah, I just came up, when you birdie the first two holes you kind of get pumped up and psyched. Even though I bogeyed 4, I got it back fairly quickly, just kept rolling, and yeah, it was a great day. Actually I wasn't sure how many under I was playing the 17th. I thought if I made that putt I might have a chance for 59. I knew I was either -8 or 9-under or 9-under I wasn't sure. At that point you are just playing golf, just hitting quality shots and kind of add them up at the end. Yeah, when you get that many under, the key is to put the ball in the fairway. If you can get under par and you keep driving it in the fairway, you are going to keep having birdie chances. That's kind of my M.O., so to speak.

TODD BUDNICK: Did you ever remember having 10 birdies.

PAT BATES: I shot 61 in a Nike event in Cleveland on the par 72. But I think I made two eagles that day, so I don't know how many birdies that is. Maybe 7 birdies and two eagles. Never 10 birdies. Helped my birdie average. (Laughs).

TODD BUDNICK: Questions.

Q. Is the course totally defenseless out there today?

PAT BATES: Pretty much the greens are soft, no wind, the greens are excellent. Some of the par 3 tees are up. So yesterday, the 7th hole was back. That was playing tough. The tee is up today. It's a 5-iron. Yeah, I think you are going to see probably some -- Mike Heinen shot 8 yesterday, but you will probably see some low scores today especially if the wind never kicks up.

Q. Runs like this usually come out of nowhere or do you have any inclination that you are playing well enough to do something?

PAT BATES: I have been playing well for the last couple of months. Actually last week I was number one in greens for the week. I obviously knew I was hitting it well. I just had a lot of 8, 10, 12 footers last week that didn't go in. I was a little bit frustrated, but you just kind of plod along and hopefully get some putts to drop. When I made two 10-footers on one and two that doesn't sound like a long putt but for me lately I have been missing a lot of those. That was a big shot in the arm to come out and make two 10-footers in a row. Yep, that got me going. Yeah I have been playing well, and when I like I said, when I have been getting under par I have been able to drive the par on the fairway and keep going lower and lower. I enjoy it. I like getting that many under as we all do, I guess.

TODD BUDNICK: Another note in the last month Pat has broken his career low mark three times, he had 64 at Hartford 63 at FedEx and 62 here today. He's definitely been playing well.

Q. Did you do anything differently with the putting stroke this week, tinkering with it at all?

PAT BATES: Not really. Actually, yeah, kind of Stan Utley who is playing the tournament, great putter over the years, played a few holes with him in the practice round. He noticed my legs were moving too much in the stroke and that my right shoulder was coming out. I tried to really stay solid, my lower body and just stroke it better with keeping my right shoulder in so I don't come over it. And have a nice inside -- that helped. That helped. But yeah, I guess that definitely --at was definitely --

Q. Nothing drastic as far as --

PAT BATES: Nothing drastic; just a few improvements. But in this game sometimes just a little bit can mean a lot and I thank Stan for the help he gave me. Hopefully it continues.

Q. What is your approach now at least for now on top of the leaderboard? How do you deal with this? What does it mean for the weekend four?

PAT BATES: Obviously after yesterday shooting 70 you are kind of hoping that you play a good round. Now shooting 62, bang, I am right amongst leaders having a chance to win. Now I have got to think what is it going to take to win. I think Robert Gamez is 13-under, so I am still going to have to pour it on tomorrow. Tomorrow probably the course is -- depending on the wind is probably just as much -- you got to shoot low again tomorrow. Really the goal is to get in position with nine holes left in the tournament. I am looking forward to that challenge and that opportunity, and yeah, it's all about having fun now. I love being here and I am excited for the weekend.

Q. You are pretty recognizable out there with the long hair. Have you considered getting a buzz cut?

PAT BATES: Another bad hair day today.

Q. You got nice hair --

PAT BATES: I have had long hair for so long probably eight years, and it just kind of me, I think. Eventually I will get it cut. I always said that I will get a haircut when my son gets old enough to tell me you know, dad, you need to get a haircut. He's 4 now and he's getting close. My buddy Chris DiMarco used to have long hair. He's cut it. He's teaching Spencer to tell me to get a haircut. He's always wanted me go get one. Yeah, I will eventually get a haircut and blend in.

Q. You'd rather be more recognizable for your golf game and the results than the hair?

PAT BATES: Exactly. I may look a little different, but yeah, I think if it becomes and issue, or, you know, to me, it is just, you know it's just kind of me -- I think I would be trying to be somebody different than I was if I got it cut. But eventually I will get it cut. I don't really see it as a big issue but if it ever becomes one I will address it.

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