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THE INTERNATIONAL

August 6, 2004

Olin Browne

Castle Pines Golf Club, Castle Rock, Colorado

TODD BUDNICK: We welcome Olin Browne after a fantastic 18 point second round today. 25 holes today, a long morning, two off the record for the best round here at The INTERNATIONAL. First off, let's talk about 25 holes.

OLIN BROWNE: Yeah, it wasn't bad. Being the first group off, it was kind of a good break for us. We came back bright and early and just walked down to my first shot, I made two bogeys this morning and couldn't get anything going. It was really frustrating because the putts that I had at birdies this morning were just creasing the edges, and I just don't understand it sometimes, I just don't understand this game.

Starting the afternoon round, I chipped in on the first hole and hit a 9 iron close on No. 2. Really got me off to a great start. Then it kind of calmed down. I think I made a couple more birdies, but I misclubbed on 6. I thought the wind was helping a little bit and turned around in the middle of my shot, so I spun it off the green there and made my easy 5.

On 9, I also misclubbed. Thought I could kill a 7 iron I don't know if I misclubbed, it was such a lousy swing, we'll never know. Had a great back nine and great finish.

TODD BUDNICK: No surprise you're playing well, you've made six of your last seven cuts and finished T 4 in Milwaukee. What's turned your game around?

OLIN BROWNE: If I knew, I would bottle it and sell it; I don't know. I spend a lot of time working on my game with a couple of different people who have helped me. Buddy Antenop (phonetic) my pro at home, Andy Barnes (phonetic), and also Jim Hardy, and I think that those guys have all contributed a little bit to my success.

Plus I started putting better about four weeks ago, and that has made all the difference because there's nothing more frustrating than feeling you're hitting good shot after time after time and not capitalizing on it, which is basically what I did in the first round. But it's really great, I had a very difficult putt there on the last hole, it was about a 40 footer, 35 footer with a lot of curl to it. It was a great way to finish off a really nice day.

Q. Even though yesterday was disappointing, did you feel it would turn into that kind of a break?

OLIN BROWNE: No. Because of not having to play a bunch today? The guys who were playing late yesterday, Billy Haas' group for example, I think he had to play something like 32 holes today, if the weather holds, and it won't, or probably won't.

This course is a beast to walk and to walk 19 holes, it's one too many. You have to walk 32 holes, you're ready to slit your wrists at the end of the day. I was very grateful that I got the late/early rotation and only had to play 25 holes today. Just a lot easier.

Q. You played well the last six or seven weeks, is there an urgency in your golf game right now to make something happen quickly?

OLIN BROWNE: That's a good question. I really feel like I'm going doing a lot of good things. You want to take advantage of the times that you play well. A buddy of mine told me one time, he said, "Play all you can when you're playing well, because you never know when they will leave you." And you look at some of the guys who have struggled recently, you just never know how good you have it until you start playing poorly.

The last two years, really I have really struggled. The last seven weeks, you know things have turned around and hopefully I'm on an uptake. The sense of urgency was really more for getting my act together, and now that I'm starting to hit more solid shots and make more putts, what I'd like to do is continue that and just play as well as I can and see where it takes me.

Q. It's a little early, but who would be the front runner for Player of the Year in your opinion at this point?

OLIN BROWNE: You know, I haven't really taken a good look at it. Vijay has won four times. Phil has won a couple times and a major. Todd Hamilton has a major and a win. Tiger has got a win. Ernie's got a couple.

Yeah, I'd have to go you know, the major has such significance. Vijay has won four times and he's leading the Money List and he practices hard and he's playing great. If he wins the PGA, it's a lock. If one of those guys wins the PGA, you have to look at them, but I think between Todd and Phil at this point.

Q. Just in your opinion, what would Vijay have to win without a major to become Player of the Year?

OLIN BROWNE: Well, I think if he won the Money List decisively and maybe won maybe won five. But, you know, if Todd or Phil chopped up another victory without another major, each one of those guys or one of those guys who have three wins and a major, you have to really look at that.

Q. Second, third?

OLIN BROWNE: In the other majors. Right now, you'd take a good look at Phil.

Q. Talk about what you did over last six holes. You missed the putt at 12 and came back at 13.

OLIN BROWNE: I hit a good tee shot on 12 and hit a 6 iron eight or nine feet, I read it left lip and hit it left lip and it stayed left lip and just freaked me out.

The next hole is a very difficult hole because it's so wet, there's mud all over your ball the whole way and it's a tough pin. So it kind of plays a defensive third shot in there and gave myself a reasonable putt. I mean, it didn't go in, but I had a 25 footer or so.

And then I birdied the last four, I think I hit a sand wedge on 15 about eight feet and made a nice putt there. And I hit a 3 iron about ten inches on the next hole which was like bonus central.

And 17, I hit a 3 iron on the green, made a nice 2 putt. Had a really similar putt to the one I had on 18 that went in. It was about the same distance, about 35 to 40 feet and had a lot of curl to it. The one on 18 just happened to drop, so it was just a really nice finish.

Q. Could you talk about course conditions, were you impressed when you got out here this morning it was playable?

OLIN BROWNE: It's totally playable. There are a few spots that are holding a lot of moisture. There are some casual water in some locations out there, but overall, it's absolutely incredible that the bunkers are dry and that by and large we can play pretty comfortably out there.

If the rain holds off this afternoon, I think as things dry out, that guys will start getting some more mud on their ball. Especially on last nine, I started getting more mud on nine. When it's really wet out there, the water tends to keep it off. When it starts getting a little sticky, and God knows when you're at altitude and you get mud ball, people are going to be flipped out at some point.

TODD BUDNICK: Let's catch up the other holes we missed. You chipped in from how far?

OLIN BROWNE: From just front of the green on No. 1. Probably had 24 feet.

9 iron in on 2 about 3 1/2 four feet.

7, 8 iron to about six feet.

8, hit sand wedge in to about six feet.

10, I hit a 5 iron in there about three feet. I ought to get three points for that birdie.

13, hit 8 iron in there about 12 or 14 feet.

TODD BUDNICK: Thank you, Olin.

End of FastScripts.

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