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DORAL-RYDER OPEN


March 8, 1998


Michael Bradley


DORAL, FLORIDA

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I'm pretty tickled. After that putt on 11 today, I was not really sure what was going to happen after that, but I buckled down, and I hit some good irons coming in, made a good putt on 16 to tie Billy, and then I was in the left-hand bunker on 17 and could tell by the crowd that he made bogey, so I figured make two pars, odds are you might win. And I was fortunate enough to do that.

Q. What was your thinking on the 3rd shot at 18? Did you think about putting it or was it a chip all the way?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Yeah, there was too much fringe. What I really thought about was going in the water. I really didn't realize how tough a chip I had from the fairway after I hit my second shot, I didn't realize it was that tough a chip. Obviously, if I don't make it, I'd like to have an uphill putt, but from the pin and the edge of the green is not too much room. If you miss it you better miss it short, and keep it out of the water. But under the circumstances I thought I hit a pretty good chip.

Q. What club did you use?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: 7-iron.

Q. You were only about 3 feet, 2 feet past?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Probably six feet.

Q. Were you aware of the bounce you took, that right-to-left bounce on your approach shot put you in position?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: That's what they said. I was over the second shot, just don't miss it left. That's the only thing that can kill you. I could have fired at the flag, but if I pulled up 15 feet, 20 feet, I'm in the water. I just figured hit it right of the pin somewhere, and just try to get it up-and-down or 2-putt, worst thing that could happen making a bogey going into a playoff. But in the water you'll go from 10 to 8 and not get a playoff. I wanted nothing to do with that pin on 18.

Q. On the final 9 coming in, did your back get stiff?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: It was getting real stiff. It did it yesterday, too. But I think just with all the adrenaline and just the moment. If I was out there just playing with the guys, I think it might have bothered me more than it did today. I didn't have a choice today. I had to play, I had to perform. So I try not to let it bother me.

Q. How deflating was that on 11 when you missed that?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I still don't know what happened. I got back, took a couple of practice strokes, I usually don't take anything for granted. It was a 360 degree horseshoe. I was like, okay. But fortunately I hit a good drive on 12, and I think that settled me down a little bit, because for me that's a tough driving hole for me. And to hit a good drive it settled me down a little bit. I played the hole fairly well, hit some decent shots the next couple of holes, and hit good on 14, 15 and 16, my approach shots, it settled me down.

Q. How long was the putt?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Which putt?

Q. The one on 11.

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I'd say a foot and a half, 18 inches, 15 inches, foot and a half.

Q. Have you missed anything shorter than that in competition that you recall?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Probably. Yeah, I 5-putted from 6 feet at AT&T one year. Every time I hit it I had a 5-footer back.

Q. How did the course play today?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Tough. Playing such a premium in driving in the fairway where the pins are. If you drive it in the rough you have no chance. If you drive it in the bunker and draw a good lie, you have a chance, but if you're driving it in the rough, with the pins you have no chance to get it close. If you can get it 20, 30 feet, you've hit a really good shot, where the pins were today.

Q. When you won at Callaway Gardens, how long was that putt, and does this now count as the biggest putt in your life?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: The one at Callaway was about a 12-footer down the hill left-to-right, it was a 6-footer up the hill, this was easier.

Q. More significant because it was a 72-hole tournament?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Yeah, I guess so, definitely. I'm happy it was in my home state, where I had my fans and family and friends. A lot of my friends came down to watch me play. So it was more special.

Q. Michael, has there been anything you've been able to do each morning or each day as far as physical therapy to loosen your back up?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Just going and stretching for 20 or 30 minutes. I've been in there pretty much the last guy in there, Tim Herron and I were the last ones in yesterday. And I was the last one in there today, I was the last one trying to get stretched, trying to loosen my back up and keep it warm, hit some practice balls. I hit a lot of L-wedges on the range, nice soft swings, to loosen my back up.

Q. Any special prep for The Masters?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Oh, that's right, I forgot about that.

Q. You're going, right?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I totally forgot about that. Well, I don't know. I totally forgot about that.

Q. Shall I take the question back?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No. No special preparation, just hopefully I'll do better than I did last year.

Q. You talked about being in contention before and battling nerves or feeling a little bit nervous, did you prove a lot to yourself today coming down the stretch?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Yeah, I felt fairly relaxed coming down the stretch. I didn't really feel as nervous as I have been in the past. Why, I don't know. Maybe I felt like I had a better grasp of my game than I did years ago. Maybe I felt -- deep down I felt like I was a better player. So maybe in turn I was more relaxed, not worried about where the ball could go.

Q. When you were over the putt on 12, did the putt on 11 cross your mind or at any other point afterward were you able to block that out.

MICHAEL BRADLEY: After I made -- I missed my birdie putt on 12 and ran it two feet by. And after I made that, I pretty much forgot about the putt.

Q. You didn't think about it at all on 18, even though it wasn't any kind of similar putt?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No, not at all.

Q. So you were able to say just -- you literally didn't think about it again after 12?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No.

Q. Did you feel like your first win had an asterisk on it, that this is the real first 72-hole victory?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I don't know. If you -- 156 guys playing, if you asked 155 guys if they'd have taken the victory they would say, "Yeah, I would have." No, not really. Yeah, this is more special to win a 72-hole event, obviously. A win is a win, but this is definitely more special, just because it was 72 holes, the toughness of the golf course, the strength of the field and just the way I played and having to do something coming in the last hole was really special to me.

Q. Is it more rewarding to be the leader at 18, a tough hole like that and win, and hold onto the win?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Oh, yeah, I'd rather be one up than one down going into 18, especially that hole. I hit a good drive. That was the key for me, I just said get it out there somewhere, and I figured if I'm in the fairway, I should have a decent chance to make four.

Q. You had a real solid Florida swing a year ago, can you pull a lot of momentum out of this, are you the type of player that gets on hot streaks?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I've always been a streaky player, that's just me. I've always been streaky, especially with my putting. My ball-striking for the most part is pretty consistent day in and day out, but I think putting is where I have my lapses sometimes. I don't putt as well some days as I do others.

Q. Your caddy said the third shot on 18 --

MICHAEL BRADLEY: It was with a 7-iron.

Q. He said it was with a 5?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No. If I hit that with a 5, I would have been taking my ball out of the water.

Q. What did you have your second shot?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: 170.

Q. You hit what?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: 6-iron.

Q. This was the first time you got to walk down 18 as the leader, the stroll up 18, were you able to enjoy that or with the work ahead still to do --

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No, I was appreciative that the crowd acknowledged my play for the previous 71 holes. And I was going to enjoy the moment, regardless if I had gotten up and happened to chip it in the water and made double and finished 8, and didn't get in the playoff. I was going to acknowledge the crowd. It was nice for them to do that, and I enjoyed the walk.

Q. Like yesterday when you were kind of talking about whether you would win or lose, it didn't matter, I wondered if that was a defense mechanism to prepare yourself, if you did lose, it wouldn't be as deflating?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: It's not life or death for me anymore. It's a cliche, and people say, sure, but it's really not. I would have been disappointed if I hadn't won. I would have been disappointed if I lost by a shot or two, but like I said, it's not life or death for me.

Q. Was there a time when it was life or death?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I think when I was younger. I think I had more intensity when I played, probably back in Junior Golf and Amateur Golf. I think I was a little more intense.

Q. Why the change? You're playing for money now and the prestige and everything else?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: That's never been me. I've never been one for the limelight. I've never liked to be the focus of attention. I always kind of like to be on the side and just kind of -- not just get by in life, but I've never been the one to be the center of attention, that's not my personality. But I came to the conclusion here a couple of years ago that if you're going to play golf and you're going to be out here and play year in and year out, you're going to have to -- you're going to have to deal with it or you're not going to play out here, simple as that. You can't go out and barely make the cut and finish 50th every week, and keep your card, it's not going to happen. There has to be a point in time where you have to say, "Hey, don't be afraid anymore, just play."

Q. When you said yesterday that your physical game is real strong, but mentally you've had some weaknesses or gaps, could you elaborate on that?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Just like I said, getting nervous down the stretch, not trusting my swing, having negative thoughts, just the basic stuff that golfers have.

Q. Today did you feel like you stepped up a level?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I felt very positive, very comfortable today, none of those thoughts crept in my mind today.

Q. What do you attribute that to?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I don't know, maybe because it's not life or death for me anymore. It's a job, but it's also -- it's a job that you want to love to play, so I like playing golf. It frustrates me especially coming down the stretch or whatnot, that I know I can do better than I'm doing. It frustrates me and I've had that for a long time. It just eats at you. If I was no better than a guy that's going to come out and make the cut on occasion, finish 30th or 40th, but I know I have more talent than that, and not to be able to show that on the golf course frustrates me.

Q. Not as much now?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Not as much now. Like I said yesterday, I've always known I have the physical talent to play out here, it's just mentally it's held me back. But I think that going back to the -- not being the center of attention, exposure and all that, I've been kind of the shorts and tee shirt kind of guy, not the three-piece suit.

Q. You used David Duval yesterday, I think as an example of a guy that was there and there and there and finally broke through and got on a roll. Do you think you can do that, is that now going to be a goal?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Hopefully. All I can ask for myself when I tee up on the first hole is just try every shot, give 110 percent, that's all I can ask of myself. If I go out and try on every shot and don't give up, I can live with the result now, regardless of what it is.

Q. What was going through your mind with that par-putt on 18?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Make the putt. I felt like I putted fairly well today, I really didn't make anything, had a lot of balls running over the lip. I was fortunate that was about the easiest putt I could have had on that green, I had a 6-footer and basically straight up the hill, maybe a hair left, but not much. It was the easiest putt I could have had. In that respect I was fortunate that I didn't have an 8-footer downhill or 7-footer swinging left-to-right or whatnot.

Q. Can you talk about how you've grown-up mentally, and I guess down the stretch you didn't play as well -- did you finish second on one of those tournaments?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: If you go back and watch the tape, I made a couple of good putts, but I didn't perform well down the stretch. 15, I hit it in the bunker and knocked it out 20 feet and made it. 16, I made a good drive and had an L-wedge in my hand, and knocked it 40 feet by the hole. And I drove it good on 17, had a sand wedge and hit it 20, 25 feet. 18, I blew way right, and blew it in the grandstands almost, and chipped it up 10 feet and made it for par. You can't win golf tournaments coming down the stretch like that, I was hanging on.

Q. Is that what you were talking about mentally, not trusting yourself?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Yeah, a little bit. But hopefully I've grown, and I will continue to grow from this experience as I get older.

Q. Making that chip on 18 and staring at the water, is that more mental than physical, talking about the mental aspect?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Yeah, like I said I didn't realize my chip was that tough when I walked up there, and I walked up there and I saw I was 12 feet over the back of the green and I saw the slope, and I was going, "This isn't going to be as easy as I thought it was." All I can say is, like I said, I'm delighted. I'm really happy. I hit a good chip, good putt, and I beat a good field this week, kind of in my backyard. I couldn't ask for anything better.

Q. Was that Stewart's ball you were scrutinizing?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I think he had put a little nick in it. I said, "Yeah, take it out."

Q. In the past when you've executed in a tough situation like on 18, has that propelled you up another level, have you been able to maintain a higher level after doing something like that?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: It obviously gives you the confidence. It's nice to be able to perform under pressure, the spectators and the media and the TV crews, and your peers. I think you get a new respect from your peers, too. I'm not saying that they don't think you're a good player, but I think they're going to respect you a little more now. Not that they didn't respect you before, but I think there's just that little edge now.

Q. Are you going home before Honda or are you going straight there?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I'm really debating if I'm really going to play Honda. The only reason because of my back, and now I'm going to Augusta now, I figured I'd probably play the Florida swing and take two weeks off, rest my back. But now Honda, Bay Hill, TPC, and then one week off and then go to The Masters and I play MCI and I play Greensboro, it's like where does it end? Especially with my back, and I'm afraid -- I don't want to do too much to it. I don't know, I'm going to call my wife and see what she thinks. It's only been three weeks for me in a row, but it's going to be six after THE PLAYERS Championship if I keep on going.

Q. Your wife is not here?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: She was a bride's maid in a wedding today at 5:30. She had to leave on Friday, and she was actually coming back down.

Q. Did you talk to her yet?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I talked to her this morning.

Q. Not since you've won?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No. The wedding was 5:30, and it's almost ten to seven.

Q. She didn't call for the check yet?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No, she's not that type. She's pretty good about that stuff.

LEE PATTERSON: Go over those other two birdies, I guess. What did you do on 1?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: 1, I drove it just in the first cut, and hit a 7-iron, just kind of ran it up the front fringe, about five feet off the green and chipped it up about two feet and made it. 16, I hit a horrid drive, that was probably my worst drive of the tournament on 16. I had this big old slice cut in the bunker and had 152 yards and hit a really solid 8-iron, about 12 feet, and it was pretty much right up the hill, maybe just going a touch left. And made it.

Q. Mike, you have one of the better swings, it seems to me, I've heard from other guys, is it a natural thing or have you worked with other guys?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: I've worked with my father, he's been my only teacher.

Q. What's his name?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: John Bradley. I'm not a mechanical swinger, I can't think mechanically when I get on the golf course, I just try to pick out a target and set up and swing. I can't think mechanics on the golf course. And that's what I like about my father, because he doesn't teach mechanics.

Q. What does he do for a living or did he do?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: He's retired. In fact I think in '54 and '55, I think he played out here part-time, in 1954 and '55. He's a lifetime Class-A, he retired here five or six years ago. The place where I play, he gives lessons. I play out at -- actually Bloomingdale Golf Club at River Hills.

Q. Did you grow up near the golf course, then?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Yeah, I was pretty much born and raised on a golf course.

Q. What was the name of that one?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: The earliest golf course I can remember would be Diamond Hills. I was probably about 6 years old, five, six years old, I can remember being out there with my father. He used to be out with the guys playing, and he'd let me tag along and hit shots. I spent a lot of my time growing up with my father.

Q. Did you ever trade notes with David Duval about the similar experience he had?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Not really. I think it's fortunate that you can have someone that you're close to like that that can teach you, because all I have to do is hit a few balls, and he knows my swing so well, it's usually one of a few things that goes wrong, so he knows pretty much what's wrong.

Q. Is he around this week at all?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: No, he was actually -- my mom and my father got sick from my daughter, Brooke, they were over and they got something and got sick, so they're kind of just getting over being sick. But he'll be at Bay Hill and at THE PLAYERS Championship and I guess at Augusta now.

End of FastScripts....

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