INGERSOLL-RAND SENIOR TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 7, 1999

Bruce Fleisher

BRUCE FLEISHER: It's been a terrific year. It would have been nicer to fin iron a No. 1 note, but Gary played great. Larry must have played -- did he play all the holes? What a wonderful round he had. But a lot of emotion today, guys. Today, guys. Fell asleep on 16. That's what makes horse races. Well, 1 was a very easy bogey. It was difficult today, certainly, the first three holes, getting out of the box. And I better. 1, driver, 4-wood couldn't even get it home. Knocked it up about six feet out of the bunker and missed it. 2, was a driver 4-wood to about 20 feet and felt good about that. 3, was another -- wow, hit a great 3-iron up there about eight feet and missed it. It was kind of like, well, it's one of those days. But 4, I birdied from about eight feet. Good, solid 4.

BRUCE FLEISHER: No.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Birdied 7. 7 was a good hole. I don't remember what I hit (Laughter.) But I do remember the putt. I think it was about 15 feet right of the hole. Let's see, went around -- had some opportunities. Had an opportunity on 8 and 9. Good up-and-down on 10. Knocked it over the green and kind of -- I misread the winds there with a 6-iron; should have hit 7. But 11 played difficult. Driver 4-iron to the middle of the green 2-putt. Great pin right there. Very difficult pin. 12, hit a 3-iron up there. Had another good chance from about 15 feet and missed it. 13, birdied, made about a 15-footer. Finally parred 14. I felt good about that. I really felt like I was in control. I think 15 was the turning point, even though I dumped it on 16. I had about an 8-footer; thought I hit a pretty good putt. But it was on the lip. 16, if you didn't catch it, I drove it perfect. I had 107 yards. I don't know what I was thinking. I just came out with a pitching wedge, and had a great wonderful sandshot to about three feet above the hole, and it was pretty much an easy putt. Just had to get it going and I must have pulled it. And then 17, I came out of a 6-iron. It looked like I could have got a break, but I think it hit out of the bunker, but it kicked back right in. Didn't hit a particularly good bunker to about six feet and missed it. And then 18 was just -- I guess it's a good way to finish. I hit a wonderful five 5-iron to about four feet above the hole. Kind of made a good day an even better day.

BRUCE FLEISHER: No. There was a lot of emotion running through me. Being sensitive the way I am -- I had a guy that I hasn't seen in 40 years that died of cancer. Bruno was able to take him around, I think it was Friday. You know I had Payne on my mind a lot today, wishing he was still here. I got his pin on here. I've been wearing it all week. Just grasping the whole year, folks. It's been an incredible ride.

BRUCE FLEISHER: He was a neighbor when I grew up in Wilmington, and he's unfortunately dying of the same disease. He had a chance to sit in the booth, and I thought that was great. I don't think he was able to come out today.

BRUCE FLEISHER: That's me. I'm not taking away from my play. I played beautiful today, until I hiccupped on 16. A lot to be thankful for, people, let me tell you. Certainly The SENIOR TOUR to be thankful for, giving me this opportunity, that one last chance, you know. I can say 1999 was mine. Nobody can take it away.

BRUCE FLEISHER: I really tried to go into this week very unemotional. I tried to -- it was sort of anticlimactic. Even though you're playing for all these dollars, with only 31 contestants, you don't want to finish on a bad note. I could use fatigue as an excuse. I thought the golf course was very long for me. I'm not -- these guys are knocking it 40, 50 yards all day by me; so you can imagine the work that I have cut out for me. But Gary played great. Certainly should be proud of himself. Great story. I mean, he's played half the tournaments I've played in this year. Kind of glad of that.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Oh, absolutely. I can't wait to go home and hug my wife, cry a little bit, laugh a little bit. Kind of regroup for next year. Get ready for Watson, Kite and Wadkins, and Andy North is coming out, too.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Well, let's me say this much, and you can make this analogy. When I got off the TOUR in 1994 because I wanted to be with my family, for seven years I got off. I had what do you call it, a real job. It was a good job. It was a good routine. I was director of golf at two different establishments. And because of being comfortable, it did take pressure off my golf; so I became a very big fish in a small pond. I dominated south Florida for years, and that's a good feeling. And there was no pressure of having to. I'm not saying that -- I mean, Gary is a great player. He's a wonderful player and he's kept himself in shape. And I think you probably learn a lot from the tower. I think being in that tower is a terrific learning process. You can see the way different guys play different -- I mean, that's what Murphy and Colbert did. To answer your question, it's a possible plus that he -- I don't know what he makes. I think he lives very nicely up there in the tower. When he comes out here, it's just an added bonus.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Who knows. He may get tired. I don't know. He's going to have to decide, and he might next year decide. I think it's crazy because he's wonderful out there. I'd like to see him play more. Absolutely. He's a great personality. Great personality.

BRUCE FLEISHER: There's no doubt. But this year, and then Phil will tell you, as history may go, our window is very short. So I don't necessarily believe that because I think that -- I've proven them wrong. But I probably won't play as much next year. I wouldn't have played as much this year if I hasn't have jumped out of there, charged down that fairway, and I'm sure Hale probably wished he had played more now. What did I play, six more than him?

BRUCE FLEISHER: Absolutely.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Unfortunately, I think I'm going to Nashville tonight for my press meeting, and then off to Puerto Rico Wednesday. And the following week, I've got to go to Pebble Beach for the Callaway Invitational. As much as I love Carmel and that golf course, I'm certainly in no mood, but it's obligations, you know. I would say when I sit down at Thanksgiving dinner with my whole family, that's when I'm going to say, wow. I'll have everybody there except for my older brother. It will be a special moment.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Absolutely. I think I started out this year on 96th and I think worked myself to 37th, and I think you have to look at that because you want to work in your 50s, if you decide to play through your 50s; and because you're certainly not going to be in the Top 31 every year, or maybe you will. At least, you're guaranteed you'll be out here.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Again, it's the cut factor. It really is. Most of that is the cut factor. I think having that pressure of making the weekend, having to make the weekend, you want to get paid. Here, we're going to get paid. That takes a lot of the anxiety off. Then again, three rounds of golf is a lot less, too.

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