FUNAI GOLF CLASSIC AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

October 25, 2003

Stewart Cink

THE MODERATOR: Interesting leaderboard with four guys on an 18. I guess Davis is at 15. I don't think there's anybody in between. Why don't you just talk about your day and then your position going in tomorrow on Sunday.

STEWART CINK: Well, I'm excited to be I guess first back in the interview room after I've being absent for a little while. Feels good to be back in here and to do something worthy of invitation.

Today I played solid. I hit the ball solid off the first tee and I salvaged the par, kind of got me kick-started a little bit and I played really well from there on.

I had a hiccup on 17 which was my highlight of the 17. Even though it was a bogey, I was pleased with the way I played today and hopefully come out take advantage of a few more.

THE MODERATOR: What did you do on 17?

STEWART CINK: 17, I hit it left of the tee. I made a physical mistake. I hit it left and plugged it in the lake and it was really plugged deep and I had to just hack it, I had go back to the tee or hack at it. I hacked it eight yards and into the rough and punched up near the green and played a pretty good up-and-down for bogey. It was a big hole. It was a two-footer. It was a big hole because when I saw the ball go from the tee and plugged in the bank, I knew it did I was thinking I'm going to back to the tee. Chances are I'm going to make a 6 on this hole.

Q. (Inaudible).

STEWART CINK: It was that far, eight inches outside the water. It was on the bank, so my first thought was "I have to drop" because I just didn't think I was going to get it out of there; it was deep. My caddy talked me into get in the swipe.

Q. You played well. How much more difficult does the wind make playing today?

STEWART CINK: It made I'd say at least two or three shots harder. Yesterday it was like playing in Palm Springs or Las Vegas; there was no wind and you never had to factor in crosswinds or any down and into the wind. Especially when I played at 7:40 in the morning. I had nothing. Today it was a whole different story. You had to figure out how far the ball is going it release on the green and what it's going to carry and the wind was changing around. It was gusting about 90-degree difference. It was going from east to kind of southeast and it was tricky to judge it.

Q. Was your family crushed by the news that there was no hoola-hoop competition this year?

STEWART CINK: They weren't. They're not aware of that. Actually I'm by myself. My wife just opened up a store yesterday. It was the grand opening. She's got some partners in the store, so she's back at home busy with that and I wasn't really anticipating playing here; I was going to take this one off to help her out.

Q. What kind of store is she opening?

STEWART CINK: It's a women's active-ware, upscale-type of boutique and it's clothing. It's right near my house in Duluth which is outside of Atlanta.

Q. How far is that from capitol city; about two hours?

STEWART CINK: Time of day?

Q. Two hours and five miles?

STEWART CINK: It's about, well, it's right next to Sugarloaf.

Q. Why are you here then?

STEWART CINK: Sadly I'm here because I was in Greensboro. My grandmother passed away; my mom's mom, so I lost my last grandparent and I had to go to Mobile, Alabama for the funeral Friday. I was going to play last week because I can't afford not play and it really forced me to play here and I wanted to be home but at the same time and my wife and I talked about it and she was very understanding about everything and she knows I have to do what's best and I wanted to be there for her, but she knows this was important. Actually I went home last night for the opening. Got home about 6:00. Got back here about 12:30. Worked out great.

It was important to me to be there. Like I said, I wanted to be there, unfortunately -- I didn't want to put my position on the money list all in one tournament in Tampa. I wanted to be able to play here because I haven't played well. I've been playing well all year. Haven't shown that with my results. I have been playing really well and I just been waiting for little spark and hopefully -- I had spark the first three days and maybe I can keep the spark going.

Q. How would you describe the year?

STEWART CINK: I've mixed in a lot of really good with a lot of mediocre and not too much horrible. That's how I'd describe it. Last year, 2000, I had a lot of horrible, so it feels good to come back and play more in line with the way I've played in the past years before 2002.

Q. Are you gunning for the TOUR Championship or is it more you want to get into the top 40 for Augusta?

STEWART CINK: It's all in my mind. I know the rules as well as anybody; I know where the money list puts you. My number one priority is winning and playing well tomorrow and keeping it one shot at a time and staying in the present. That's my focus. And where I finish the year will depend on how well I accomplish that which is to stay focussed and to stay one shot at a time. I'm looking at the money list but I'm not just trying to move into 30th or 40th; I'm trying to win and play as well as I can.

Q. You said you got back at 12:30 today or last night?

STEWART CINK: 12:30 last night, yeah.

Q. That was hit and run?

STEWART CINK: Yeah. That was okay.

Q. If I'm not mistaken, you've a little bit of bad luck with the Tour --

STEWART CINK: I've had it a couple of times. I've been 31st after the last regular tournament two times at least and this tournament has given me the boot two times. I had a chance in one of my earlier years, I had a chance to move into the Top-30. I shot 76 the last day and then I missed by one shot moving into the Top-30 finishing 11th here one time. I've been right under 30th a lot and I'm used to it. Now I'm older. I guess I'm old. Look at some of these players; I'm old. I've been around here for a few years now and I understand that if I think about where my position is on the money list I'm just going to get frustrated and I'm not going to be able to perform that well, so that's what experience really is.

Q. (Inaudible)?

STEWART CINK: I don't think this game is about anything. The lifestyle I live from playing golf (Inaudible).

Q. A couple years ago there was a four-way tie and Tiger was among the leaders; there would be a lot of talk about how tough that would make it tomorrow. Is it just as tough tomorrow with Vijay the way he's playing?

STEWART CINK: I don't know if it's as tough. Tiger at one time was - you have to rule him like a 75 percent favorite to win in that situation, but I don't think Vijay is quite on that level, because he's a human being and I think Tiger has shown this year that he's human, too. Vijay is definitely a world-class player and he's on top of his game. I don't think that he's ironclad like Tiger was at one point. Tiger was ironclad for a couple of years.

THE MODERATOR: Bogeys and birdies.

STEWART CINK: No. 2, down the fairway, wedge from 103, five feet.

No. 4, driver fairway, six-iron, 40 feet at four-footer for birdy.

Eagle on 10, driver on the fairway, six-iron, 10 feet; eagle.

11, I hit a rescue in the fairway and then an L-wedge about four feet.

16, I hit driver in the fairway and really got it into a huge headwind.

17, we went over, bogey but it was a strong bogey.

18, drove it into the rough. Sand wedge about 40 feet behind the hole and that was a nice way to finish.

End of FastScripts.