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BELLSOUTH CLASSIC

April 4, 2004

Mark Hensby

DULUTH, GEORGIA

TODD BUDNICK: Runner up Mark Hensby, you had four birdies on the front nine and Zach just didn't back up enough to let you in the door. Talk a little about today.

MARK HENSBY: I think all you can do is really do the best, and you can you never hope that Zach does back up, but obviously he played well today because it wasn't easy out there, you know. So I was happy.

TODD BUDNICK: Talk about the fact that it wasn't easy. You turned in the best round of the day by two strokes in the heavy winds and all that. How did you go about that today?

MARK HENSBY: I played so well yesterday, I just kept up the momentum. Even though it was playing tough, sometimes when you're playing well, it doesn't feel as tough. And down the middle stretches, I've made some bad decisions and just wrong clubs. It was really hard.

Q. To play so well and come so close, is it frustrating or is it a positive for you?

MARK HENSBY: Well, I've played well all year. You know, you're out here to win. Obviously it's frustrating because I felt like, you know, I really didn't putt that great this week. I made a few putts coming in and I missed a lot of shorts ones all week. When you miss by one, it's like, it's frustrating. You know, not a lot of guys miss putts and it is difficult out there. But, yeah, you like to win. But if you can't win, second is always ...

Q. How tough is it to maintain your focus and momentum and the groove that you're in, considering the wind and the conditions you were in?

MARK HENSBY: You know, I think if you're hitting the ball well, the wind just doesn't affect it as much. I got fortunate yesterday. I started hitting the ball well. You know, it was windy, though. It was tough. You stand over every shot just second guessing and then that makes it hard.

Q. Could you run us through 18 a little bit, and did you think the second shot was in trouble? And then talk about your putt which looked like it was in.

MARK HENSBY: Well, the second shot was funny all week for me because I had hit it out of the back every day and I stood over with a 4 iron. I knew if I hit it well, it was going to be too much. Especially when I got to the top of my swing and the wind kind of stopped and stayed down right to left again. So I just came out of it and figured if I can get it up in the air, maybe it will be all right.

You know, I kind of thought it was in the water but then it might not have been because it was right of it. Then the wind just threw it straight left. You can't really see it land, so, you know, it ended up being on the green. Then the putt, you saw that. I really thought I hit a good putt, and that's all you can do. I thought it was in, but just hung a little right.

Q. You did something with your hand when you were hitting that 4 iron, was that indicative, you thought it was in the water do you remember what you did?

MARK HENSBY: Yeah, I did this (indicating) because I was like, this hole, I knew every day that I felt like I hit good shots and even on the back side today I was thinking, oh, just get me out of here. As it turns out, it landed on the green.

Q. What brought about your decision to try the waters of the United States?

MARK HENSBY: You know, when I was a kid, starting off when I was 12, I started watching a lot of golf when I was like 14, 15. I don't know, I just was really it's just somewhere I always wanted to play. Financially, I never thought I would be able to come over here. I've worked for a long time to save up to come over here and just test it out. My feelings were right, when I first came over here I really enjoyed it and decided to stay.

Q. How much does the finish mean? You've got to be close to being set for next year exemption wise.

MARK HENSBY: Yeah, well, now, goal is obviously changing every week it seems. Obviously my main goal out here this year was to keep my heart. And then I got to 500,000 a few weeks ago and now obviously my goal changes to win. It's obviously still that. You know, I mean, just keep playing well, I guess and try and keep finishing in position to have a chance to win. Maybe one day, I will.

Q. Sorry if you've already been asked this, but what part of your game was particularly strong this whole week, what could you rely on all week to help you score?

MARK HENSBY: Well, I think I drove the ball pretty well. Yesterday I didn't miss a fairway and I only missed one green. Today I drove it pretty well. I think I drove the ball well, and I hit my irons pretty good most of the week, too. So as I said I think if the putting had been just a little sharper, it would have been pretty good.

TODD BUDNICK: Let's go through your birdies, starting with No. 3.

MARK HENSBY: No. 3, I hit a 2 iron off the tee and a sand wedge to about 15 feet.

5, I hit driver, laid up with a 3 iron, hit lob wedge to about two feet.

6, driver, laid up with 6 iron, it a sand filled divot and hit that to about a foot and a half.

9 was a 3 wood, pitching wedge. And I don't know how long that putt was, that was a long way. That was like 30 feet.

10, driver, 7 iron in the bunker, left, short and I pitched out to about three feet.

12, driver, 6 iron, had like 40 feet and I 3 putted that.

13, drove it in the bunker just left. Pitched out to a foot.

15, driver, 5 iron, long left, chipped it about 30 feet past and 2 putted.

18, the putt was about 35 feet.

Q. It seems like right now the last couple of years there's a fairly large contingent of young Australians, four or five each week are clustered in the top 20 or 25, is there something about this Tour, do young Australian golfers on the way up aspire to this Tour as the ultimate level of play, or is there an equal number in Europe or the Asian Tour, or is this where Australian golf looks?

MARK HENSBY: I think predominately a lot of the Australians would like to come over here and play. Financially it's tough, because there's really no Tour down there. They have a lot of co sanctioned events obviously with the Nationwide Tour and European Tour. Then they have a few Tour events down there. There's not a lot down there for Australian golfers, so to speak. They need to venture somewhere, and obviously a lot of them are starting to make it to America. I think they realize that this is probably the best place to play and why I say that is not so much, you know, I shouldn't say so much the tournament, but it's just like where the best competition in the world is. I think that that's what most of the Australians drive to do is come over here and play against best.

Q. When it looked like Zach was struggling today, there were three Australians circling like vultures, you, Peter and Scott, and I notice more and more, last two or three year, the reports of the Australians on the Tour seemed to have grown, is that more of an obvious avenue than it had been previously?

MARK HENSBY: Yeah, and I think what's been great, too, is the Nationwide Tour going to Australian. They have those two events down there, and it really gives the Australians an opportunity to play on the Nationwide Tour, and therefore, get to this tour, too.

I definitely think this that's what's happening.

End of FastScripts.

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