MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIPS

January 4, 2002

Scott Verplank

TODD BUDNICK: 69 today, along with your 67 yesterday, 10-under, 136. Can we go through your birdies starting with No. 4?

SCOTT VERPLANK: 4, I hit an 8-iron about three feet.

No. 5, had to lay it up over the left. Hit a sand wedge about six feet, made that.

Next hole, I made about a 20-footer. I was just down by the green. Chipped it. By the time the wind quit blowing it, it was about a 20-foot putt.

8, I bogeyed. Hit a beautiful shot in there about 12 feet from the hole. Knocked it by about five feet, missed that. That was not very smart.

11, I 3-putted. Hit a 9-iron about 40 feet. Not a very good shot. Hit a couple bad putts. 3-putted there.

Then, let's see.

13, I hit a driver and a pitching wedge about three feet.

The next hole I hit a sand wedge about eight feet.

The par 5, 15, I hit a sand wedge about two feet.

TODD BUDNICK: How much different was the course today than yesterday?

SCOTT VERPLANK: A lot. With the wind blowing so hard, it was hard to hold still on the greens. That makes it a little tougher, obviously. When you can't hold still, you don't feel that solid standing over a putt.

You know, this direction kind of makes the course a little bass-akwards almost. You know, I hit a 3-wood to the 1st hole, hit a 3-wood to the 2nd hole. Normally you hit a tee off the 1 and a 9-iron to the green. Made it a little -- made it a little tougher, definitely.

Q. Is your consistency one of the things you maybe take the most pride in, 24 of 26 cuts?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Hey, it's the best thing I've got (smiling). You know, I understand I'm playing with Duval today. He might blow it by me 40 yards on some holes. I'm not going to hit it up there with him.

But today I guess I missed one fairway, and I missed one green. Hit it on the fringe. Didn't have to chip. I putted every hole. Only reason I missed the green on 17, I had mud on my ball, made it hook into the wind, which is pretty tough out here. It stayed right out on the fringe. That's kind of the way I'm going to play good, drive the ball on the fairway, keep hitting the green, keep giving myself putts, birdie, eventually I might make a few.

Q. Is it a hard way to play, when a guy is out-driving you?

SCOTT VERPLANK: No, I don't care. Listen, a guy like David, he's a great player. Doesn't matter to me. I don't care where he hits it. I don't know what he shot. I think I beat him today.

You know, he has certain advantages. But then, you know, I may have certain advantages, too, getting a hit from a perfect lie on every hole, hitting all the greens. You know, obviously there's ups and downs. Some golf courses he's going to be a let better on. Some golf courses I'm probably going to be better on.

Q. Based on the conditions, was this a better round today?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Except for the two ding-dong 3-putts, yeah. I hit the -- like I said, I only missed one green. It was on the fringe on that one. In these conditions, that's pretty good. Not that the greens are that small and hard to hit. I had the ball in pretty good spots most of the day.

Q. How gratifying is it to be here for the second year in a row after the 12-year victory drought?

SCOTT VERPLANK: That I'm a better player now (laughter). It's great. This is a tournament you want to be in every year. It's pretty neat that I've been able -- two years in a row, I hope I have a lot longer string than that. You can't complain about being at this event.

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