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DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

September 1, 2007

Aaron Baddeley

NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS

STEWART MOORE: We'd like to welcome Aaron Baddeley to the interview room here at the Deutsche Bank Championship, our current leader at 9-under par, fantastic play today, second round 66. You come into this week 21st on the FedExCup points standings. You're already in the BMW Championship and you're classified as probable for the TOUR Championship. Talk to us a little bit about your game right now and the motivation to try to go ahead and move up into the Top 10 in the points I assume?
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, it was definitely a goal this week was to lock up the TOUR Championship and to play well and to give myself an opportunity to win. I knew winning would definitely guarantee the TOUR Championship.
STEWART MOORE: Talk to us a little bit about the round.
AARON BADDELEY: I played nice today. I got away with one bad tee shot, but overall I felt like I played nice. I made a couple of nice saves, and I just putted nicely. My goal was to get off to a good start because teeing off early, I wanted to make some birdies early, and I did that. So I was pleased.

Q. Just talk about a year ago, kind of the same thing; you find yourself in a similar position?
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, I feel very comfortable on this golf course. I love the greens here. I love the changes. I think the changes are amazing.
So I feel very comfortable just being here, and the family -- my wife has got a lot of family here in Boston, so all the sisters come up and the family comes out, so it's pretty cool.

Q. Where is she originally from?
AARON BADDELEY: My wife is from Scottsdale, but her father is from up here in Boston, so his side of the family all live up here. Richelle's father Rick, his parents, his brothers, they all live up here. So I get so catch up with all the father's side of the family.

Q. And you're a native New Englander?
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, this is just like being at home (laughter).

Q. How old were you when you moved?
AARON BADDELEY: One.

Q. How have you played since the final round at Oakmont? Did that take a little out of your sails?
AARON BADDELEY: No, I honestly felt like I've been playing quite nice, I just haven't put all the holes together. Like British Open I played really nice for 33 holes, played three holes eight over. Played nicely at Congressional, just had a bad last day. I didn't play great at the PGA, but I played nice at Akron, had a chance there. So I honestly feel like I've been playing nice, I just haven't been able to just put it together for the 18, which I've been doing this week.

Q. What's the most valuable thing you think you took out of the Sunday experience at Oakmont?
AARON BADDELEY: I mean, one is that I know that my game is good enough to compete at that level. I'd say what was probably the biggest thing, just that I know when I tee it up -- that was probably the hardest course I've ever played, and to be able to contend and be leading on the last day was just -- it was more confirmation than it was disheartening with what happened.
STEWART MOORE: If you wouldn't mind just briefly going through your birdies and bogeys for us.
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, No. 1, hit it to about 25 feet and made that one on 1. I hit sand wedge.
2, I hit driver, 5-wood on the green, two-putted from about 45 feet.
4, hit driver in the front bunker, hit it out to about ten feet, made that one.
Hit it in the hazard long right on 6. Yes, there is a hazard there. I didn't even know it was there (laughter). Dropped it out, hit a great pitch shot to about 12 feet and made that one. I was happy with that one.
8, hit a 5-iron to about four feet.
9, hit it over the green and chipped down to about 12 feet and missed it.
12, hit driver, 8-iron 12 feet, made it.
15, driver, wedge about five feet, made that one.
18, hit it in the right bunker with a 4-iron and then hit out to about three feet and made that one.

Q. I can't remember, how close were you on The Presidents Cup list?
AARON BADDELEY: I was sitting 11 for a long time, and then just dropped two spots coming in. I think I finished 14th or something like that. So I was pretty close. I was disappointed not to get in, to be honest.

Q. The fact that they went so far down the list to pick Mike Weir, does that bother you, or do you understand sort of the political ramifications that were in play there?
AARON BADDELEY: No, I expected Mike to be picked. I mean, I was sort of hoping he'd get picked because he's Canadian, I like Mike, he's a good friend, and I really think he's starting to play nicely. He's playing nicely this week. He's starting to play nice. He works with the same guys I work with, so I've really seen how he's improving. And especially playing in your home country. I think Presidents Cup is going back to Australia soon, so it would be special to play in that one in Australia. This one will be special for Mike.

Q. It was tough to make that team; you've got to basically be top 25 in the world if you're on the international side.
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, and we had a chance to have like seven Australians on the team, too.

Q. It's almost all Aussies and South Africans as it is.
AARON BADDELEY: I was disappointed not to get in. I just didn't play well enough to play my way onto the team.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the condition of the greens and what you expect maybe this weekend if they start to firm up a little more and stay as fast as they've been?
AARON BADDELEY: They've definitely got some speed to them, especially downhill, like you've really got to be careful and think about it. I think the greens will keep getting a little bit firmer, especially if it's windy like it is today, and if it stays windy they're going to dry out, which is great. The harder and faster the better. I like it like that. It brings out the better putters, and also you've got to hit it in the right spots on the greens.

Q. It seemed like the wind was blowing harder today than yesterday; it seemingly should have been tougher to score, and yesterday you had a pretty good round and Tiger, Phil and Vijay just finished and ended up looking pretty good. Do you have an explanation for that? It is harder today.
AARON BADDELEY: It is harder, but I think some of the holes played a little easier. Like 2 played easier, like -- I mean, in the morning I hit driver, 5-wood. This afternoon you could probably hit an iron in there. Yesterday I ripped driver and ripped 3-wood just off the back. And 18 is playing shorter; you can easily get to 18 comfortably. I think some of the holes are playing a little bit easier. That's probably why.

Q. Had you been playing along at home as far as the FedExCup points went during the season or did you just start paying attention recently?
AARON BADDELEY: I've paid attention probably the whole time, just seeing where I'm at, just trying to stay in the Top 10. That was sort of my goal, just kept watching that.

Q. We're kind of almost halfway into it. Has there been anything about this full format, the whole Playoff thing that has worked or that you've liked?
AARON BADDELEY: I was actually talking coming in here, I think it's really good. I think it's going to be -- especially in a few years' time when they've ironed out a few kinks in it and when everyone has a better understanding, when the players have a better understanding, I think it's going to be really good because it brings -- usually after the PGA or after the Akron event, it was always a little bit of a lull until the TOUR Championship. It really makes it exciting now, and we get an off-season, too, so it's great.

Q. How would you assess the players' understanding? As it goes along, do you think guys are getting a little bit more of a handle on it?
AARON BADDELEY: I would say the majority of the guys would understand it. Yeah, I mean, I'd say the majority of guys understand it. For me, I didn't know what the breakdown of points was afterwards, but that was just because I didn't go ask somebody.
I think the majority of players will understand it.
STEWART MOORE: Aaron, great playing, and good luck the rest of the week.

End of FastScripts

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