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BUICK OPEN

July 31, 2004

John Daly

GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN

JOE CHEMYCZ: John, great playing today, 6 under par 66. Just talk about the fun you had out there today.

JOHN DALY: Well, it's always nice when you get off to a good start, 3 under after four. Unfortunately on 15 a little gust came up, I pulled a 9 iron and had about a 30 footer and 3 putted.

All in all a good solid day. It's the same, just barely missing fairways and being able to advance it to the greens has been the key this week. But chipping and putting has been really good for me this week and making putts and that's what you have to do.

JOE CHEMYCZ: You missed a bunch of fairways today but you didn't miss them by much.

JOHN DALY: Like I was telling Peter walking up 16, if you think, counting this drive, counting 34 holes, I bet I've missed fairways by a total of 12 yards. It seems I'm missing fairways by a yard, just barely missing them, which these fairways are very narrow. So it would not be good in a U.S. Open probably, but it's not that bad here. It's just being able to get back to where you can advance it.

JOE CHEMYCZ: Talk about being in contention for Sunday.

JOHN DALY: It's wonderful. Looks like it's an opportunity for me to play with Tiger tomorrow. I get to play with him Monday at the Battle of the Bridges, so that would be great. If not, just go out and play and hopefully do well tomorrow.

Q. Have you ever played with Tiger on a Sunday in a PGA TOUR event?

JOHN DALY: No, I never have. Last time I got paired with him there was a big rain delay at Memorial, I think it was '98. We only got to play like nine holes and they called it or something. That's been the last time I bet I played with him.

Q. Have you guys ever played any practice rounds together?

JOHN DALY: No, I haven't.

Q. I talked to Peter and he said on Wednesday you had a bad back before Troon and came here with not much, had not practiced much since then. He said after the Pro Am you went out to the range for about three hours and you found something that you could work with; what was that?

JOHN DALY: Well, when I haven't played it was a tough two weeks off. My house flooded, water heater bursted and flooded and then got it dried up and it flooded again. So it was a tough two weeks, but it's just stuff is that happens.

I really didn't get a chance to practice that much, but after the Pro Am Wednesday we just sat there and hit balls. For me, it's all rhythm. I think it's tough to coach me because I'm such a feel player. So all I did was just take the club a little more outside and just drag it back a little more. It's still tough with the driver, but it's getting closer.

Q. Looks like maybe you won't be playing with Tiger but with Vijay tomorrow. Would you rather be in the last group with Vijay having to make up a couple shots or would it matter, which group would you rather be in?

JOHN DALY: I'd rather be in the last group on Sunday because you already know what the guys are doing in front of you and you have that opportunity to get it back. Then you can see what Vijay is doing the whole time, so I would definitely rather be in the last group.

Q. You talked a little bit yesterday are the Ryder Cup coming up. A victory tomorrow is going to throw you right in the mix I think. Could you speak more about what that would mean to you?

JOHN DALY: It would be wonderful. I'm looking at the guys in the Top 25, and I think I said this yesterday, all the guys in the Top 25 on points right now are playing incredible golf. And so that makes it tough for Hal to pick two guys, but it's actually kind of easy because the guys he's going to pick are playing really well, anyway. And hopefully Fred Funk gets his injury better so he can play because he's been playing really good.

We've got a very strong team whether I'm on it or not. It would be great if I could be on it, and if I'm not, I'm going to root hard for our team as usual.

Q. With that in the back of your mind, Ryder Cup and the points and whatnot, at what point tomorrow do you start holding on and thinking, okay, I'm trying to win a tournament, but I don't want to do anything that will cost me, you know, too many points; is that a factor, do you think about that?

JOHN DALY: No, no. I'd like to say on 16, if it's between the Ryder Cup and this week or losing the golf tournament or having a chance to win the tournament, I'm going to try to win the tournament; that's the way I've always been. I hate seconds. If I have a chance to win, and I've got to be a little aggressive, then that's the only way you're going to win and that's the way I've always played. So that's just the way I am.

Q. You were asked about how often you've played with Tiger. How often have you played with Vijay in tournaments on a Sunday perhaps?

JOHN DALY: Me and Vijay have been paired a few times. We played some Skins Games together. Me and Vijay are pretty good friends. We've played quite a bit of golf together. We've played some practice rounds together and stuff and we know each other's game. So it will be fun. I don't know if I'm playing with him. I don't know what's going on. I heard Carlos made a birdie somewhere, so I don't know.

Do y'all know who I'm playing with tomorrow yet? Does it look like Vijay right now? Oh, that would be great.

Q. Is there something about Buick tournaments that bring out the best in you?

JOHN DALY: Seems as though this year. Like I said, I was always wanted to play here pretty much every year, but I've either played three or four weeks in a row and couldn't get here or I was overseas or something. I think the first time I played here, I shot a horrible round and then the next week won the PGA in '91 and I left here thinking, "I really like this place. I know I'm going to come back."

To answer your question, this is such an unbelievable tournament. I've never seen so many energetic fans in my life. You get up on 17 they are doing the wave, and right when you're getting ready to putt, it's total silence. Usually that shows you how smart they are and how golf smart they are and they are having fun, but they are not interfering with anybody's play and that's just incredible.

Q. Can you talk a little about confidence with regard especially to the fact that you've won in the last six months, you had a few chances to win in the last couple of years, Memphis and then Torrey, but going into tomorrow, you already have that bridge closed; does that make a difference how you look at tomorrow?

JOHN DALY: You just go out and play the golf course. It's basically turning to a putting contest. Hopefully I can just keep putting as well as I have.

It's funny me and Vijay were giving each other crap on the driving range this morning. He was telling me, "I'm going to kick your butt." And I told him, "No, I'm going to kick your butt tomorrow." Now we're playing together so we are going to be having some laughs tomorrow for sure.

Q. One more question about the Ryder Cup. I just think your game will be so suited to that format, what do you think your game will be in a situation like that?

JOHN DALY: I think it would be good. Being a long hitter can be an advantage for some of our maybe shorter hitters in the Ryder Cup, taking alternate shot, for example which I think has been our weakness in the Ryder Cup in the past. And I think that's where I would be very, very strong for the team. Because you want to, I think, pair up a longer hitter and a shorter hitter on the alternate shot. Seems like that's where we really struggle and I think I would help the team there. It would be great if I could just hopefully get in.

2, hit driver in the left trees, chipped out with an 8 iron just on the fringe and made a 10 footer.

3, hit a 5 iron to about 12 feet and made it.

4, hit driver, L wedge to about eight feet and made it.

5, hit driver, wedge 3 putted from 50 feet.

7, hit driver, laid up, hit an L wedge to about five feet and made it.

9, hit driver, driver wedge to about 12 feet and made it.

10, hit driver, L wedge to about five feet and made it.

Then 18, hit driver, a little 8 iron in there to about five feet and made it.

JOE CHEMYCZ: John, we appreciate your time. Play well tomorrow.

End of FastScripts.

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