BELLSOUTH CLASSIC

March 30, 2000

Paul Stankowski

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Didn't hit the ball really well today. Struggled with my driver a little bit, but the good thing about playing here is that fairways are big. There is not a whole lot of rough, so tee to green it wasn't very good, but I putted well. I made a couple of good putts, a couple of long putts and just one of those days that could have been 72 in a heartbeat, but I am thankful it was not.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: That is too bad.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: 1996 was a lot of fun. Obviously winning a tournament on PGA TOUR was very special, but getting to play Augusta was amazing. There is going to be -- there might be a first time winner this week that doesn't get in or a guy that is not already in the field like myself, that kind of stinks. It stinks. It is not a very good rule, I think. Our Tour is so darn deep that just to win out here is pretty tough, especially, I mean, I guess Tiger is not here this week, they would think it is probably a mini-tour event, it is -- I don't see where they are going with not inviting past winners. It is ridiculous really.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Actually, probably more. I won't call myself the best driver of the ball. I am not a Fred Funk or -- I am not a guy who hits it real straight. Fairways here are very generous so I don't complain too much when we play golf courses like Muirfield Village or here, Honda or whatever. I don't mind it being open. But sometimes being open makes it a little bit harder to focus on the tee because you have such a big fairway, you just kind of flail at it. Couple of times today I kind of lost my concentration because -- I prefer a tree-line fairway even though I am not a great driver of the ball just because you have to focus or else you are going to hit it in the trees. But no, I like the place. The golf course, it is a lot of fun. A couple of weird holes, but for the most part -- I mean, it is beautiful great condition, the flowers are blooming, they have got it in really good shape. The greens are perfect. It is a fun golf course to play. It is picturesque and isn't a whole lot fun to walk for the spectators. I am not a spectator, I don't have to worry about it. I enjoy it. I love Atlanta, yeah, good, place, a lot of great memories and I'd like to win again.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Well, I changed my golf swing toward the end of 1997. I tried to anyway. Tried flatten it, I tend to get really steep and it was a mistake. It didn't really work too good. For a couple of years I struggled, but toward the end of last year I tried to go back to the basics back, to the old swing and I started hitting the ball better toward the end of last year and actually this year I have worked on trying to tighten my swing a little bit, not changing it; not trying to get in any different positions in my golf swing, still keeping it very feel oriented, but trying to be a little less loose. I am very loose and that is why I have always been inconsistent. But even in 1997, I played really well, pretty much all year, but I still missed seven cuts, and are -- so anyway, my swing kind of is constantly changing, but it is not flat anymore. It is back to its steeper plane and granted, I am probably going to be -- I won't be a consistent -- I am not going to make 40 cuts in a row out here like Tiger has done or 50 cuts, whatever, but that is fine. I know when I am playing well. My good weeks will be really good and so I just -- I haven't gotten back to that, I guess, consistent play of 1997, but I am looking forward to it. Things are kind of going in the right direction. Today I shot 6-under but it wasn't that great a round. Not to steal from Tiger, it was definitely not my A-game, it was more like a D-game. It was my A-putting game, that is four sure. Rolled and chipped it well - something I haven't done pretty much all year around the greens. Just chipped well and haven't putted well since the second week of the year, so it was fun. Fun to get the ball in the hole.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: I still have it. In my study. It is up in my old trophy deal case, where all two of my trophies are. (laughs) No, but it is still there. I will have it forever.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: They won't get it back.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: Not really. I don't mind if there is people out there or not. I prefer having people out there, but it is early. It is Thursday there is really nothing to kind of get into. I am out there trying to play one shot at a time. They will be here. They will be there on Sunday. There will be more than two or three people there.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: No, I called. I am staying in Marietta, so I wanted to make sure I knew I ahead of time.

PAUL STANKOWSKI: No, my preparation pretty much starts when I get in my car, so whatever happens in the morning, that is fine. I have a little seven month old baby now so can't sleep in anymore. Those afternoon tee times are going to be a little more challenging because I typically would sleep in until 10; that is not happening anymore. He gets up about 7. It is kind of nice, he eats at 7:30 in the morning, so it is not that bad. But last night he was up at 4:30, my wife brought him into the bedroom with us and he has a tendency to hit and so I didn't sleep very well from 4:30 on. I am getting kind of tired. You all can relate, I am sure.