U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 1, 2008

Tom Kite

FULLAUDIOINTERVIEW

TOM KITE: USGA put some pin placements on us today that almost defy the imagination. There were a couple of them where you'd almost sit there, and say that's not really a pin placement when you missed it a couple yards.

But the golf course is really, really difficult. The greens are just so treacherous, and if you get on the wrong side of one of those ridges, it is really tough to get it down in two putts.

You know, it's just treacherous, treacherous greens out there with some unbelievable pin placements today. It's going to be fun watching on TV. I'm glad I'm finished.

Q. I think you're referring to No. 8?

TOM KITE: Golly. What are they thinking about on No. 8. You have to hit a perfect shot, and playing with Jay Haas today, he hit an absolutely perfect shot in there and landed and caught the ridge and then came back and ended up five feet above the hole; and literally, he barely, I mean he just touched the putt. And if he misses the hole, he made the putt, but if he misses the hole, his putt's five, six feet below the hole. If you put it above the ridge, you can't hit the green.

You absolutely cannot hit the green with a putt. I putted it off the green. The group behind us, Ian Woosnum putted it off the green. It's a pin placement where if you put it in the wrong place, you literally cannot hit the green in regulation, or can't keep it on the green.

Q. You're 1-under par today, in fabulous position.

TOM KITE: Yeah. I'm pleased with where I am. I felt like I played a little better, finishing on four, five, on eight and nine kind of leaves a little bad taste in your mouth. I'm trying to wash it down with Diet Coke, but it's not helping a whole lot right now.

I'm pleased, the golf course, like I said, is tough and to be under par for two rounds. I'm in good position.

Q. Obviously a great history, the U.S. Open. Can you just talk about what you see are similarities and differences between the U.S. Open and the U.S. Senior Open?

TOM KITE: The golf course is tough. This is a bit unusual golf course for the USGA, you know. There are a few like this. I guess Oakland Hills is probably the closest thing to this type of setup for a USGA championship. Usually they tend to go with smaller greens, tighter fairways. You know, these greens are big, but you better put it in proper section of those greens.

So this is a little bit different than their normal usual USGA setup, but you know, doesn't make it any less difficult. It's just difficult in a little bit different way, and you know, the difficulty is in getting is in the proper section of the green and then trying to negotiate all these severe slopes, and then reading that mountain is going to do to it. I mean that is, you know, the altitude makes club selection a guessing game, and that mountain makes reading the putts a little bit of a guessing game.

Q. Is length the biggest difference between the regular Open and Senior Open?

TOM KITE: Yeah. This golf course measures long, but doesn't particularly play long. There are places where it plays very long. You know, it's short in places and then it's quite lengthy in others. So it's got some balance on this course, for sure.

Q. After you're through, what stands out to you as what's going to be the dividing factor?

TOM KITE: Same thing we just talked about. You know, choosing the right club. Obviously you have to be hitting the ball well and you have to be putting it well to get it in good position through two rounds. You're going to have to continue to do that. But then a lot of it is choosing the right club, getting it in a position where you have a chance to make a putt.

You know, you can have it 15 feet from the hole on one side of the hole and have a very makable putt; 15 feet on the other side of the hole and you're doing everything you can to keep from three- putting. You know, so it's not -- I mean you have to hit it well, but you really have to control it.

Q. And how happy are you with par on the back nine?

TOM KITE: Yeah. I mean I played well today. You know, apart from finishing bogey on 8 and not birdieing No. 9 when it's reachable in two. Apart from that, I'm ectatic with the way I played today.

Q. When you got par on the back nine, do you feel like you've accomplished something just because of the way it is, there aren't that many birdie opportunities?

TOM KITE: You don't divide it up. It's an 18-hole round. It's not a hole or a 9. It's 18 holes out there and like I said, I played well today.

Q. Can you talk about that save on 3?

TOM KITE: Holy smokes. You know, that was really a good up- and-down. Probably one of the worst breaks you could ever get. I didn't hit a good tee shot, killed the ball down there. Only had a 6-iron into the green on my second shot, just pulled it a little bit and thinking it's going to be in the bunker. And hit that ridge and just ricocheted and kind of went up the lip on the other side where I really had no play.

So I was hoping that I might be able to get it on the back of the green. You know, I caught the grass with the nozzle of the club and came up short. So actually my fourth shot was not quite as difficult as think third one but it was a really difficult shot and I was very fortunate the pitch came out nice and gave myself an opportunity, but yeah, that was a great up-and-down. Very lucky there.

Q. Can you talk about the way the heat feels here, as opposed to the way it is back home in Texas?

TOM KITE: It's hot in Texas. I mean, this is hot, but everybody says it's dry and we've got a nice breeze out there. The heat's not a factor. The guys are in good shape. Heat is not an issue. For some of the guys that are packing a few pounds, maybe the altitude is a little bit of an issue with them, but for most of the guys, you know, it's not a question of the heat or the hills or the altitude. It's a question of getting the ball in the fairway, getting it on the green and trying to one or two put. Awesome. Thank you much.