U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 16, 1994

Hale Irwin

HALE IRWIN: Generally speaking, I hit a lot of very, very good irons. I putted relatively well. My chipping was not too bad. My driving-- the thing I should be doing the best was the thing I probably did the worst. Hitting a lot of edges off the fairways and edges of the rough today; probably only hit maybe 6 or 7 fairways at most. I really need to work on my driving game tomorrow and hopefully if I can continue the rest of my game, I will feel very good about it.

LES UNGER: Were they drivers or. . .

HALE IRWIN: Not all of them. It didn't matter what I had in my hand. It was going to be marginally fairway or rough.

Q. Can you talk about your tee shot on 16, was that how you brought the ball in, I guess two feet of the cup, was that something you found in practice everybody seemed to be going right and you came in from the left, almost a hole-in-one?

HALE IRWIN: 16, the green is so firm with the long shot, I had to hit a shot in there the other day with the 4-wood and I am not long enough to crank up these 2, 3-irons and fly them in the middle of the green. I don't hit them 230 yards, generally. It is a 4-wood shot, but the green is so hard that when I fly it up there on top, it goes through it. I think all the balls that probably were hit in there today that flew in there probably went long. Where the pin was, on the left side, it was accessible, if you hit it up to the left and let it run up. So it was I heard Tom's comment, the comment made that it is a bit of a Links kind of condition. That was the shot that I did play left to run on. Now, when the pin goes to the right, I will have a chore ahead of me, we will have to see.

Q. Did the course play any less severe today than it did, say, Tuesday and Wednesday?

HALE IRWIN: I think it's -- familiarity is helping us. Once you get over the shock of the greens, the way they were Monday and Tuesday and yesterday, and you learn to expect what we are getting out there. I sense that the greens are a little bit slower than they were. We don't have quite the wind -- we had virtually no wind out there today; whereas, in the practice rounds we did have a bit of wind which I think added to some of the misery. All and all, I think the course is about as tame as it is going to get if you wish to call it tame. There is some -- I didn't expect to see that many low scores today. I thought there was some very good play out there. Some of the pins were accessible versus in the practice round where they were -- there were really impossible spots. So I think we are seeing-- probably seeing about as mild as it is going to get.

Q. Could you just tell us what you thought when you saw the scoreboard and all the experience that was up there, did that surprise you or did that really-- was it status quo as far as you were concerned?

HALE IRWIN: I think the number of Opens I've played in now doesn't surprise me to see those players who play well in the Open be up there, all the-- Nicklaus, Watson, there is some good players up there and there is some players that -- Ernie Els, I had a practice round with Ernie that didn't surprise me and winning last week, I think it is a good cross section of players, but always in an Open Championship, the experience is invaluable. I don't think anyone can dispute that the experience factor is probably the greatest thing to have -- well, I guess you ought to have a little talent as well, but the experience factor really is a great -- because you know, things are going to change, you know, that we are going to see some up and down on the leader board. I think what little experience I have at this game, I think we are going to see some more difficult conditions. Can't get any easier as far as climactic conditions go as it was today.

Q. I was in the same vein, I mean, did you feel it was like old-timers day at the Open today, you; Nicklaus, --

HALE IRWIN: I think it is fantastic for the tournament. I played with Jack yesterday and he could not have busted 85 or 90. He just was playing horribly. But I think that it is significant, the scope and depth and desire that Jack still has in his game, surfaced today, the intensity is there. He wanted it very badly and he overcame it over night. How, I don't know, because he did not play well -- I think it is a real tip of the hat to Jack and Tom, I think Tom is on somewhat of a mission having been denied year and year's past, I think he has certainly got the bit in his mouth and congratulations to those two for fantastic rounds.

Q. Can you ever remember a slower round of golf in your career?

HALE IRWIN: Pretty pitiful; wasn't it? I am standing here and that same question sort of was asked of Tom; I thought he did a good job of side-stepping it. I think ultimately the players have to answer to slow play, although there are rules, but they are not enforced, I found, which was so difficult after birdying number 9 was to go to the 10th tee and waiting every shot. I don't understand why we cannot play faster. The rules are in place. Why we don't enforce them, why the players don't seek faster play, it is beyond me. It is frustrating because you can't get in the momentum. Yes, I agree with Tom. We do play slow Pro Am days, but this is a national championship. Come on, let us play golf. Let us get it on, boys. I just -- it is very difficult. The thing I try to do-- you try to turn it off; let yourself kind of go in idle for a moment. You go in idle; three holes later, that is what I find, if you go in idle, then you really have a hard time.

Q. Can you talk about the group and -- I followed you around for a few holes. It looked as though you were hitting your approaches real well; putting yourself in position to making 1-putts. On the other hand, you weren't driving real well. Freddie Couples was hitting everything in 3, 10 and drove 17 and eagled that to get back into it. It looked like Fuzzy was having trouble with his approaches; couldn't get a break; it looked like a contrast of styles?

HALE IRWIN: Any time you play with me I am always a contrast. Fred is just coming back. I was kind of surprised his short games is as good as it is. That would be the first thing I would think for Fred would be hard to come back. He did hit some wild shots. He did hit some fantastic shots. Hit a couple of bombs, 17 was a fantastic, but you saw him play 16, you would have wondered if it was the same guy. Fuzzy had some good shots today, but he is hitting it real hard ball into these greens; it is hooking in there; coming in very hot. You can't hit that shot and expect to get good results. You got to be hitting a little higher; left to right; tame it down a little bit. I think that is the problem Fuzzy has. He always hooked the ball on these greens which are very, very firm. That ball is just pitching, taking off. But there certainly is a contrast in styles, I would agree.

Q. One of the players I talked to in the locker room said his group got slowed up three times by maintenance crews having to syringe the greens. How much was that a factor in the slow play?

HALE IRWIN: How long does that take, a minute? Don't give me that, I don't accept that.

Q. You talked about knowing that Jack found his intensity and desire over night and the same thing with Tom, he is on a mission. Do you have those same feelings? Are you on a similar mission?

HALE IRWIN: It is not so much a mission. I guess, I have played well all year. I guess if you wish the mission is to enjoy this year like no other year I have had, at least to this point, and to try and take advantage of all the good things that have come my way this year, I am doing most everything well. My iron game has been superb, my putting has been fantastic. I think all those spots of my game have reached the same level as my driving accuracy. I think I have driven the ball well. Everything else has sort of come up with that. On a mission, well certainly I have a mission. I'd love to make next year's Ryder Cup team. And that -- but more specifically, this tournament will be extremely beneficial to my psyche. I think we all know that.

Q. In addition to playing well, how important is it in a round like this to also come back from a little adversity in the round to have a negative stretch with a couple of bogeys; then fight your way up to the leader board?

HALE IRWIN: I think it is good. I didn't feel deserving of one of those, at least. But again, what I found right now is that my game is capable of enough to go out and feel the holes. Like 16 I can birdie and not just hope to make a par. The short hole, 13, I feel like that is my meat right there. I don't have to bomb it out there. I don't have to hit that big drive and the big 4, 5-iron to the green and have a chance. So here we have two contrasting holes; one quite short. One you have to be sort of delicate and with the other you have to hit pretty hard. I feel that those parts of my game are all pretty much in concert right now, working together. I don't feel like there is a hole I can't climb out of as long as I don't let myself fall into one -- too deeply, anyway.

Q. You have got another great opportunity to win a fourth Open which would make you an immortal. How can you not think about this when you are out there?

HALE IRWIN: Winning a fourth would certainly be-- well, I don't know what it would be other than just short of fantastic. I have always held the U.S. Open as the pinnacle of the championships I'd rather win. I wouldn't trade any of them for another one, not that I wouldn't like to have another major, by any means, but I think the U.S. Open brings about more than just lots of birdies, more than just physical play. I think you have to get into some patience; some discipline; a lot of the things that some of the other tournaments don't and that is why I think I have always held it in such high esteem. Other than slow play.

LES UNGER: We thank you very much.

HALE IRWIN: Thank you.

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