U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 29, 1995

Larry Laoretti

LARRY LAORETTI: Yeah. First hole I came right out of the box smoking; had a good drive on the first hole; hit 8-iron on the green about -- wasn't very short, about 25 feet, I guess, and I run it right in the hole for 3; nice to start the first three holes, 3, 3, 3. Second hole, I hit it on the green which I was very fortunate; good par 3 up the hill. And had about a 45, 50 footer and I 2-putted. Next hole, made 3 again. Third hole is a pretty good hole. It is funny, in practice rounds I played it twice and went two birdies and made another one today. That is a good hole for me today. I think I birdied 8, what was 8 par 4, yeah, I hit it about 4 feet; made birdie there. Hit a little sand wedge.

LARRY LAORETTI: Sand wedge, I think.

LARRY LAORETTI: I think I hit a 5-iron on 3 downhill about 20 footer and made it.

LARRY LAORETTI: 10 I hit a 7-iron, just, you know, the pin is tucked over in that left-hand corner by the water. My caddie said, just hit it up in the middle of the green. Murphy hit it there, out there about two feet. He said, just hit it in the middle of the green which I did; made a 25 footer for a birdie there.

LARRY LAORETTI: Hit a bad tee shot. I think it was one of my -- I had a real bad tee shot on 11 -- not real bad, but got up on the right side; hit the cart path; kicked up. I was fortunate to make 5. The 12th hole I hit a drive. I usually play most of my shots right to left and kind of aimed out to right; just hung up there and stayed up on top of that hill and I hit it down there and grass on the left-hand side and in that heavy stuff knocked it to the back of the green; 2-putted for 5. That was my other bogey.

LARRY LAORETTI: I only played 9 holes yesterday. I drove the ball real good and I was very confident about going in today. When I got on the practice tee this morning I hit 5 tee shots - never hit them so straight. I said, well, this is going to be a good week and when I won in '92 I had the same feeling, I was driving the ball well and when you are playing the U.S. Open, any Open; whether it is the Senior or the regular or any of their Opens, you better drive the ball on the fairway and I was very fortunate to be able to do that.

LARRY LAORETTI: I had 18 the day before and I played only 9. I don't want to wear myself out. It is a tough golf course to walk and I thought it would be a little hot. Couple of holes on the back side, when the sun came out, it got a little warm. I hung in there; kept driving the ball to the fairway. It was easy from there.

LARRY LAORETTI: That is true. Like I said, I didn't have a 3-putt and any time you can play in The Open and not 3-putt, you know, they are soft enough and you know the balls aren't really running -- these greens ever get some speed, it will be some tough downhill putts, but because of the speed, you are able to put a pretty good roll. They are a little bumpy, I guess, because of the weather and a lot of traffic, but I look forward - if this weather changes, they are going to get a little harder on Sunday, I think.

LARRY LAORETTI: Not really. Last four, five weeks I really have been driving the ball well. I have been working with my too teacher down in Boyton Beach, Joe Sorentino (phonetic). He has given me some things to work on; started driving the ball real well last month, month and a half.

LARRY LAORETTI: No, I would then change teachers.

LARRY LAORETTI: Well, it is something I have always done. I started smoking cigars when I was in the Navy in 1957, 1958. I was about 17, 18 years old, and it was funny, I used to work with Lieutenant Commander and he used to blow smoke in my face at night when I was plotting weather maps. I was a meteorologist. I started smoking them at that time. I was on the Island of Guam, and we used to have a golf course there. I'd buy a box of cigars for about a dollar those days, smoking those White Owls, Dutch Masters and now I smoke Tiamos, as I guess everyone knows, but I never thought about putting them down on the ground. I started smoking them and playing with them and have never taken them out.

LARRY LAORETTI: Well, I really don't know. I would say in the store they sell for about three dollars a piece. I smoke about 10 a day, maybe 6 in a round of golf.

LARRY LAORETTI: I tell you what, I will guarantee you this year.

LARRY LAORETTI: I am very surprised. Because of the condition, I think this might be -- I haven't played that many Opens. I did play 1974 U.S. Open. That rough was brutal, the year that Irwin won and I think this is the toughest rough I have ever seen for an Open. I asked Hale the other day if it was similar to Shinnecock; he said about the same. I was quite surprised that the scores -- the condition of the golf course for senior players, we are playing 6900 yards they said. That is pretty long for us to be playing and it is wet. I thought they would be moving the tee boxes up. But they didn't. They kept it back, and it is a good test of golf for us and I am really surprised that the scores are that low.

LARRY LAORETTI: Yeah, I would think it is, you know, I have never played out there with those guys, but I would think it is playing about as tough as they would want it to play.

LARRY LAORETTI: I always think about winning. Especially when I am driving the golf ball well. I think I can win right now. I am driving the ball as about as good as I can drive it. I am looking forward to try and win.

LARRY LAORETTI: Yes, I missed 3 fairways. I don't remember what hole. On the front side I missed one. Back side I missed -- I know I missed 11 and the one I bogeyed, 12, I missed.

LARRY LAORETTI: Yeah. I only hit a 3-wood couple of times. I hit it on the third hole. I hit -- no, 4th hole I hit 3-wood off the tee and I think -- there might be one other hole that I hit 3-wood, but every hole I drove it. I just have as much confidence in my driver as I have in my 7-iron. When I am on with the driver I am pretty sure it is going to go pretty straight but tomorrow is another day. I got the confidence going, so hopefully I can keep driving it. And it is nice to have a good pairing. I got Hale Irwin and Murph and, you know, I have -- I played with Murph last week. He is just a great competitor and it is nice to play with a guy like him. He drives the ball pretty straight. He is a great iron player. I think Murph could have had some score today; if the greens were a little better he'd probably would have shot 65.