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HP CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS


May 1, 2003


Paul Stankowski


NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Q. Thank you, Paul, for coming in today. You're becoming somewhat of a regular occurrence here with the first round in New Orleans. (Inaudible) I guess you wish every round on the PGA Tour could be like the first round here.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: That would be nice. Yeah, today was a fun day. I got off to a good start and kind of hung around, and on the back nine I started -- started a little run. It was good, so it was nice to get things going and (inaudible).

Q. Nine birdies and one bogey today.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: I don't take -- I never -- well, I don't remember what the heck I did, so I had (inaudible). Today's birdies, number 2 I hit a driver, 4-iron left, chipped it up 10 feet, made it. 4, I made bogey, 2-iron to the left rough, L-wedge over the green, chipped it short, and got that up and down for bogey.

And then on 5, I hit a driver, sand wedge to 3 feet; on 6 I hit a driver, 3-wood about 20 feet, I'm shocked that I actually (inaudible) but I putted 20 feet. 7, I hit a driver and sand wedge about 8 feet. 11, I actually hit it close to an unplayable, made par, par 5; then 12 I hit a 9-iron, 10 feet; 13 I hit a 2-iron off the tee and 9-iron to the green to the front fringe about 30 feet, made that.

15 I hit a driver in the left rough, laid up with an 8-iron, hit a sand wedge to about 4 feet. 16, I hit a driver and a divot, an L-wedge to 3 feet, that was the shot of the day right there for me. 17, was a good 6-iron, 20 feet behind the (inaudible) fringe.

Q. What is it about this course that you like?

PAUL STANKOWSKI: I like pretty much all (inaudible) yes, I like (inaudible) they suit my game, they fit my shot. Fairways are fairly generous, and I'm not one of the straighter drivers on tour, so I like -- I like the fairly openness but at the same time (inaudible) you can't hit a driver all the time, got to hit some irons, so I just like it. It appeals to me visually, and the greens are always in pretty good shape, and they roll nicely. When the greens roll nicely, it's easier to make your putts. But I do, I like it here (inaudible).

Q. What?

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Really.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Well, that's true, but like I said, make a putt from the fringe (inaudible) 23 putts.

Q. 23 putts?

PAUL STANKOWSKI: (Inaudible).

Q. That's pretty darn good.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: My teacher and I have been working on my putting, and he said if I can make about 100 putts a round -- or a tournament, I'd be in business.

Q. 100 putts a round would be bad?

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Yeah, (inaudible) 21 putts.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Sure are, yeah.

Q. Is there any way for you (inaudible) no rough, bring it to a roll as well, any other explanation?

PAUL STANKOWSKI: You know, if you look back in history, the scores here have been fairly low, not record breaking low, but fairly low. So that's a start. The rough this year, being that we're playing a little bit later and it's not as strong, the winds were only, what, 10 to 15 today, they weren't 20, 25 like they can get down here, so I think there has been a whole -- (inaudible) the wind and the rough, and being we're here the time of year we are, we're not going to see the rough, but -- and the greens were just a bit softer than they were last year. Not soft, but softer, so as of today, (inaudible) little breezy but that's normal. (Inaudible).

Q. Okay.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Par 5s are reachable, 15 is as well, but 16 is a (inaudible) hole, but the other par 5s are reachable. Par 3s are not long by any means, but they are not short, they are average, but when you get par 5s that are reachable (inaudible) fairways being a little more generous, got to that hit a driver, shorter putt (inaudible).

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Yeah, that hole, I'll tell you, it's gotten a lot shorter (inaudible) I driver and 5-iron all week. (Inaudible) I killed my driver and must have had a great bounce because it was well past the other guys in my group (inaudible) that's the nature of the game, everybody is hitting further and -- it's firm here (inaudible) better putting (inaudible) at the same time the greens are getting better (inaudible).

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Good question. Last year when I teed off -- two years ago when I shot (inaudible) and I noticed (inaudible) I was shocked it looked quite tough, the greens were firm, and I don't know, (inaudible) I tried (inaudible) I think the only good -- i can't really remember my past few years here other than 61 and 77 the next day. '96, this is the first cut I made, played well the first day.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: I can't remember what I shot the second day (inaudible) it's golf, and I have had a history of, when I played well round 1 through (inaudible) I think I play better -- it's weird, because I've also played bad round ones. I have a terrible memory.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: (Inaudible) I realized recently that there are times during the week that my mind is not strong, my mental game is probably not where it needs to be, but I'm working on it, and I've worked really hard (inaudible) quite awhile now and I think I've got my swing dialed in where I want it typically, but I realized, I look at last week and I shot 1-over on Monday, even for the weekend, I was 3 over in the last three holes, and I look back and I made a lot of mistakes at the end of my round on a weekend, specifically on Sunday, and it's something that I'm trying to break now but, yeah, I'm breaking down on Sunday on the back nine, then I could be breaking down the second day if I play well the first day. There is a history of mental breakdowns there that we have addressed and we're working on.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: (Inaudible) that's in the past and I learned from it, and we're going to go out tomorrow and plug along, try to play some golf. (Inaudible).

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Yeah, I'm -- i don't think about that. Tomorrow I'm going to go out, I trust that my ability is physically -- you know, I'm fine, I'm hitting it like I want to, rolling the ball well, and I'm just going to do what I'm doing. Whatever the score says tomorrow when I get done, if I'm successful at taking it one shot at a time (inaudible) controllable. If I go out (inaudible) play it one at a time, whenever I shoot par I do that and (inaudible).

End of FastScripts....

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