BELLSOUTH CLASSIC

March 29, 2000

Franklin Langham

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: Yeah, it is a great cause. I have been going to the Golf and the Garden which is run by the TOUR Wives Association like the last four, five years every time I have played in this tournament and it is really a neat thing. My first time there I was kind of depressed, seeing these little kids hooked up to I.V.'s and in bad situations, waiting on a liver transplant or having cancer, et cetera, but the good thing is that we have such a great facility here in Atlanta now. Especially you have got Egleston and Scottish Rite which merged and now is called Childrens Health Care and is probably, if not the top child care facility in the country. These kids yesterday, it was just awesome just seeing them smile and having a good time. They have a putt-putt course set up there. It was just -- we can't -- the little that we do is not that much, but just to see them smile and have a good time and then of course the dollars that are generated from the tournament go to help different causes there and it is -- just gives you a good feeling to know that in some small way you are helping out.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: I think so. That is a good question to ask because I am kind of taking it a day at a time because I -- first time I ever had something like that happen or been in that situation, I think right after that other, than last week at PLAYERS, I think I have tried too hard to go out and try to win and instead of letting it happen. I think there still was a little frustration there, not depressed or anything like that, but I just -- you get that close and you want to win, but like we talked in Florida going in sometimes, it has to happen to you and I think maybe I lost a little sight of my own advice. I was trying to make it happen the last few weeks, but I am comfortable here. I like the golf course and that is not a guarantee you will play well, but I do like being at home. It would be a great career if you can sleep in your own bed all the time but unfortunately we are in hotel rooms. It has been an adjustment and I am dealing with it each day and -- but there is still a lot of positives that came out of it. I played great and I know I can win and just a matter of hanging in there and keep plugging and take them one at a time.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: I live in Peach Tree City. I have been commuting this part of the week. As you know Atlanta traffic, you can't judge it. We are staying here at the Hampton Inn locally.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: It is 45 minutes to an hour and I really don't care that much to sit in a car and have my back get that stiff. I like to get up in the morning, stretch, then come to the fitness trailer maybe, maybe go on the treadmill and get loose, but never sit is for an hour that early in the morning. I have done that the last few years, stayed up here this side of town, and it really makes it a lot nicer.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: I hope pretty good. I had a good showing here last year and I am not -- I don't think I am one of the longest drivers on Tour, but I feel like I am above average in distance. I can get to the par 5s when they are reachable. I know we are supposed to get rain and we have had some. The course is playing long right now. It is cool right now, so it is going to play long for everybody. Greens are awesome. Putting is best part of my game. I feel like when I played well here last year, I was rolling the ball well, seeing the line and making a lot of putts. And I think these greens are conducive to that. Hopefully feed off some of that and have another good year.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: That is the only way you can look at it. That is all you can control is your own game and the only goal I have is to hit every shot the best that I possibly can. I know my game is good enough to be there and get myself in position to win. If you get enough chances, eventually it will happen to you. That is what I firmly believe.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: Well, I think we play more courses like this that you have the undulating greens, the deep bunkers, and the greens are pretty challenging, I think; a lot of optical illusions. I only played the Atlanta Country Club one year. I actually got an exemption spot there and played. I didn't have a whole lot of success so it is hard for me to compare the two because Atlanta Country Club is a great golf course. But I don't know, you know, I think when you come to a place and you have good things happen to you, when you get out there, once the tournament starts you start remembering what I did on this hole the year before, or that. When good thoughts come in your mind, that is part of playing good. It just makes you comfortable knowing that you have had success here. I think that is probably what I draw most from.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: Yeah, I will come up -- I came up, I took Bay Hill week off, came up for a day and practiced. It is nice because all the TPC's are set up so we can hit a lot of golf balls. Got a real good practice facility and a good chipping green over there and the greens are very true and a good place to do your practice. So I wouldn't say probably as much as Stewart (sic) does that lives right there on the 14th, but I do come up on days - a lot of days in the offseason, November, December, I will bring friends up and play. I enjoy playing here.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: Yeah, you know, the year I had the great year on the Nike Tour I think I finished second like four times, lost in two playoffs. But, see, from that I don't have any bitter memories. I just know that I played so well that year. That is probably, you know, hopefully this year will beat that, but consistently I don't think it would have mattered where -- I played so well that year it was really good for my game and my confidence and everything. But two of the playoffs, one guy ended up two on the par 3; almost made a hole-in-one and I got beat in Mississippi. So you are losing to good players, you don't worry about it. It is just part of the game. But just being there and knowing that I have been there. What it did, it is -- hopefully what I will get from Doral, it kind of made me comfortable with where I was. It kind of proved to myself that when I see my name on the leaderboard, I am not going: Oh, my God, what am I doing there. Just that repetitiveness and playing good consistently is good for your confidence.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: I am sorry. That was on Saturday, though, Sunday actually I played well. Fred Funk just made a lot of putts. Granted, it still wasn't as strong as Doral, but finishing second any time you do out here, I think it is a great thing because, you know, more so now than it used to be on the Tour, anybody that tees it off can win. I mean, the fields are so strong and I don't know if you all follow the stats, but I just -- talking to the veterans, a winning score wouldn't change a whole lot depending on the conditions and everything like that. Occasionally it will, there will be somebody that will break a record. But if you look at the cut scores, they are going lower and lower every year. It just shows you the depth of the field is so strong. Going back to your question, Mississippi, even though, as I said, it wasn't that strong a field there were a lot of great players there. I played well. It is my first 2nd place finish. First time I really had my -- a real good chance to win. It was great. It pretty much got me over the hump, I guess, so to speak, as far as keeping my card for the next year which is another notch in your belt.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: Oh, gosh, I think we had, I don't know want to name them because -- nine or ten guys that went. It was a great turnout and kids loved it. We loved it. It was a neat thing.

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: You want to borrow some? (laughter).

FRANKLIN LANGHAM: Yeah, of course. Like I have always said, growing up near there, I have always wanted to play Augusta and I think I eventually will. You make goals throughout the year and it is not something when I put my ball on the tee in the ground on No. 1 Thursday, I am going to go: Okay, all right let's get close to the top 40. But, yes, it is in the back of your mind. You have goals that you set for yourself and that is going to be one of mine now that I have kind of gotten off to a good start this year, a better start than I have ever had before. That is kind of nice. I usually wait 'til the end of the year to play well. Having that, I am going to work harder. Not just because I had a good tournament, I am going to say: I am not going to play anymore. You get the taste in your mouth, you know, the will to win and the will to play well and sure, I'd love to get to Augusta, that would be awesome.

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