VALERO TEXAS OPEN

September 27, 2002

Pat Perez

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: I'd like to welcome co-leader Pat Perez. Great round today. Eight under par, 62, puts you at 10 under for the tournament. Nine birdies today and only one bogey. If you could we'll start with some opening comments on your round today.

PAT PEREZ: I'm real pleased. I've been playing well the last three weeks, and I finally got some putts to drop so it's been nice.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: You set a course record back at the Bell Canadian a few weeks ago, and one off the course record today set by Garrett Willis earlier today. What's been the secret as part of your game that's really been working.

PAT PEREZ: Pretty much everything. I've been working on my setup and ball position, just trying to hit it straight with a little fade and I can pretty much control that. And my putter, I've been working with the last couple of weeks, and I actually switched on Tuesday to a new one, a new Scotty Cameron. It's real easy to line up and it's been working nicely.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Do you feel like you've been gaining additional momentum as the season ends. You played last year at Tampa Bay and had a great final round at the Bell Canadian and obviously now you're in contention and co-leader right now. Do you feel you're gaining momentum as the season ends?

PAT PEREZ: Yes, it's nice. I just wanted to get in the Top-30. That's my goal. I wanted to come out -- I didn't play the Pennsylvania Tournament. I came out thinking I've got four tournaments to get me into the Tour Championship. I'm not going to play Disney. I'm not planning to play the Buick, so I'm really trying to get into the Top-30. I'm looking to try to get rookie of the year now. I'm trying to get focused and play well the next four weeks.

Q. You usually like to play pretty quickly. How did you adapt to the slow pace of play today?

PAT PEREZ: I was going crazy. It's brutal out there. I don't know why it's taking so long. With all the low scores, I don't know why it's taking so long. You always adjust. I'm talking to Mike, my caddie, or talking to someone else, just keeping active, and when it's time to hit, just get after it.

Q. Was there a point in the round today where you felt you could go really low, or did you feel good starting off?

PAT PEREZ: I thought I could go low after probably the par 5, because I struggled with the back nine yesterday on holes 10 through 14, or even 15. I was playing 3-over yesterday and today I was 3-under, and I missed a 3-footer on 10. I really knew if I got to the front nine, 3 to 5-under I could really make a charge.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Let's go through your score card. You started on No. 10 and as you mentioned birdies on 11, 12, 13, and 14.

PAT PEREZ: I missed a 3-footer straight up the hill for birdie on ten. Made about a 12-footer on 11, right to left.

12, I made a 15-footer right to left.

13, I made about an 8 -footer, pretty straight putt.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: What did you hit in there?

PAT PEREZ: I hit a wedge.

14, driver, 2-iron to the right side. 2-putted from about 40 feet.

16, I hit a 3-iron down there just over the trap, hit a wedge to 20, 22 feet.

No. 1, I hit driver 3-wood, L wedge to about, I would say, 15 feet past it, pretty straight putt and made that.

4, I hit a great drive and a great 7-iron. I got a bad bounce, it went a little long and buried on the downslope.

6, I had a 9-iron to about 20 feet.

7, I hit it to about four feet.

And 8 was four feet.

Q. How many friends and family did you have in the gallery today?

PAT PEREZ: I had some of my cousins I haven't seen them forever, and my dad and girlfriend and just a bunch of people. It was fun. It was nice to have a gallery that's actually following you, for once.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Thanks, Pat. Good luck the rest of the week.

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