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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 17, 2006

Peter Hedblom

MAMARONECK, NEW YORK

Q. Peter, it was a terrific front nine. If you could talk about the two eagles, fabulous.

PETER HEDBLOM: Yeah. I mean, it was pretty special to make a hole in one on the 3rd, of course. To, first of all, make a hole in one at a U.S. Open is pretty special. I will always remember that when I hit there when I'm 80. Playing at Winged Foot, I can remember I made a hole in one on the 3rd. To then come back and make eagle on the 5th, 4 under after 5, I was looking pretty good right there.

But of course the course is tough and you're still going to have a lot of tough holes left. The first four holes were playing easier today. It's just sad I couldn't finish it off because I felt so good and I was swinging the club perfectly, just everything felt good. I think I missed a short one on 12, the par 5, and after that I just lost the rhythm after that and finished off badly.

Q. How surprised were you at No. 3? It's playing longer today than it did the first two days.

PETER HEDBLOM: It's a hole you take a 3 and leave as quick as possible. I took a 3 iron and I thought maybe I won't get it all the way up, but I hit it as pure as I can hit it. It went straight through the wind and just perfect, right in the hole. It was great. The people were screaming. It was very special. It was very emotional out there.

Q. Your hole in one, what makes that hole so difficult?

PETER HEDBLOM: You have nothing, nowhere to really miss it. If you miss it long anywhere, you have such a difficult shot or pitch or whatever, so you need to leave it short. If you leave it short, you still have a chip uphill or something. It's one of the toughest holes we play, and to make a hole in one there is pretty good.

Q. Europeans haven't done a very good job the last 20 years ago or so at the U.S. Open, and yet a ton of you are on the leaderboard right now. Why do you think that is?

PETER HEDBLOM: First of all, I think we play more courses that are similar to this with thick rough. Say the last three, four years I think the courses in Europe have gotten a lot tougher, more similar to over here. I think that's the only reason. Also, I think, a lot of guys maybe players are getting better, younger, stronger.

This course feels a little bit European to play, like Wentworth, but just a little bit longer and a little bit tougher.

Q. What was your club and yardage into 5? And after that did you in any way get complacent?

PETER HEDBLOM: No, I mean, the yardage into 5, I think I had 220 meters. I hit a 5 wood and just a great shot and rolled it in from there. After that I had a couple chances, but bogeyed 9 and bogeyed 12 and then it was just bogeys everywhere.

Then on the last, I could still be chipping it (laughing). I mean, that was one of the silliest bogeys I ever made, I think.

Q. Are there any theories as to why it's been 36 years since a European has won a U.S. Open?

PETER HEDBLOM: Maybe somebody put a spell on us, I don't know (laughing). I don't know, I don't have a good reason for that. We have so many good players able to play on good courses like this, Faldo and Monty when he was at his best. He still is very good, but yeah, I don't really have a good reason or a good answer for it.

Q. Luke said earlier in the week that he felt this course didn't play like anything you see on the European Tour, it was very, very dissimilar to what you see in Europe.

PETER HEDBLOM: Yeah, I don't think okay, this is a long course and a lot of rough, but we're starting to play a lot of courses with a lot of rough. We're going to play one in two or three weeks in Ireland that has a lot of rough. I think it was pretty windy the first day, also. I think that suits Europeans because we're used to playing in the wind.

Yeah, I don't know, just a good week for us. Hopefully someone can win it.

Q. Do you feel like it's kind of a crazy way to shoot 1 over par? You are 1 over par on a tough course. Do you feel it's a difficult round?

PETER HEDBLOM: When you get in and you see you moved up I mean, I was 20th when I walked out, and now I'm 14th or something. So at least I'm in the tournament. I would love to play a good round tomorrow. If I can finish top 10 or even better, that would be great, or at least top 15 so I can come back next year.

Q. Have you ever had a round before where you had two eagles and no birdies?

PETER HEDBLOM: I never thought about it (laughing). I don't think I've had that before.

End of FastScripts.

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