THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 24, 2002

Craig Perks

TODD BUDNICK: We welcome Craig Perks, winner of the 2002 THE PLAYERS Championship along with a five-year Tour exemption. The victory gives Craig exemptions into the other four majors, four-year exemption to the British, three year to The Masters, and a year to the U.S. Open and PGA.

Craig, let's start with some comments on your round.

CRAIG PERKS: It's by far the most difficult golf course I have ever played on. Couple that with being the Sunday of THE PLAYERS, you know, when you are in contention it made it even more difficult. But I had pride myself throughout my entire career on this Tour, and the Nike Tour and whatever, and never given up, and I think that showed today.

I drove it all over the golf course and I missed putts that I didn't think I could ever miss, and -- but I just -- I told myself, if I can just hang there, hang in there, everyone else -- obviously, it was playing so tough and it showed that on the scoreboard. And I felt like if I could just hang in there, hang in there, I just never know what could happen. I never dreamed that, you know, I'd finish 3, 2, 4, the way I did, and it obviously worked out.

TODD BUDNICK: Talk about your thoughts before you got to 16 and I think you were 1 stroke back at that point. Walk us through there.

CRAIG PERKS: You know, I think the way it worked out was beneficial for me. Stephen Ames had posted early and there was no one else doing anything, and I guess the advantage of being in the last group is that you have got the most amount of holes to play. Once he posted and after -- especially after a little short putt I missed on 15 I said -- and I'd driven it so poor all day. I said, "If I can just get it in to play off the tee, I got a chance," and man, I really hit a great tee shot there, probably the best on any hole of all the tournament. It came at a great time.

I am an aggressive guy by nature, and I wasn't going to back away from that flag. With the wind down the left I felt like I could kind of cut it in there and, you know, it barely carried and kind of finished. I was glad to see that the rough being so difficult throughout the entire golf course helped me on that particular hole. When I got up there, the lie wasn't too bad, and it was reasonably flat and I kind of visions of what Vijay did last year, not that I was going to turn my putter upside-down or anything like that, but, you know, and -- I've always been a good chipper. I think with my aggressive nature to a point where I short-side myself a lot, and I felt comfortable over that chip -- I had a good chip. Obviously, when it went in it was pretty mind-boggling. I really just had to try and control the emotions knowing that 17, you know, 17 is right there, and I really, really hit a great shot there on 17. That's exactly where I was aiming.

There was an NBC sign on the their tower or whatever, that's exactly where I was aiming exactly where it went, and so was proud of that shot too. After the emotional roller coaster on 16, I just -- I had another good eye on the line there. When that thing went in, I mean, I really had to I think, that's the hardest I have worked to remain composed. Again, because I knew that now it gave me a little breathing room knowing that 5 would be in.

Again, my thought on 18 was -- I am always going to hit driver unless you can't hit driver. And I knew that I could make 5 from the right rough and I didn't want to become so conservative off that tee -- hit two or three iron and just be unfamiliar with hitting that iron off that particular hole and I just hit a poor shot and I had no idea what was going to happen. So I took an aggressive line and I really just wanted to finish in style; I wanted to just hit a good tee shot down there and get it in play and I didn't do that, but I made 4. So we'll leave it at that. (Laughter).

TODD BUDNICK: Questions.

Q. I am wondering when you were thinking about what you wanted to do with that second shot on 18, and you moved the crowd, had to move the stakes, when that marshall had an awful time trying to pull up that one stake, did that -- did you use that time to change your mind at all?

CRAIG PERKS: Not really.

Q. What did change your mind?

CRAIG PERKS: When I said, "Man, I could just chip out and then Travis, my caddie, said, "Why don't you move these guys aside and see what you have got." And so I said, "Why don't we just gave me a little time to try compose myself."

When I started to walk up there, there was a cart path there. I said, "Man, if I can get this thing along the cart path, there's no way if it's running along that cart path, the rough there will stop it." Then I will have a 50- or 60-yard shot and I am basically now, I can make 5 from there. There was just this one tree that was actually leaning a little from left-to-right that really swayed my decision. If that tree wasn't there, I definitely would have hit that shot along the cart path low and up there 30, 40 yards short of the green.

The other part of that was a tough chip getting back to the fairway. And I was on Pine Needles with water facing me and there's the rough, and -- but I think that one little tree, I think to be honest with you, if I can remember correctly, if that had been straight up, I still may have done it. But, you know, I didn't want to, you know, just get myself further in trouble. I knew that if I could chip out and get it in the fairway, I could still make 5.

Q. Did Travis talk you into it when you saw it or was it your call?

CRAIG PERKS: He just said -- the point that he made is that that tree came too much into play. It was -- actually the tree was on the left side of the cart path, and if that tree wasn't there, the cart path led all the way up into the fairway short of those bunkers on the right moguls, or whatever. We just decided that if that -- like I said, if the tree wasn't there, I would have made the decision to do it.

But I think that smart play was to chip it out. I mean, maybe if I had to make 4 to win, I might have tried to gamble. But knowing that 5 was going to do it, then it made the decision a little bit easier.

Q. How nervous were you over the chip at 18?

CRAIG PERKS: Not too bad. I was actually more nervous chipping out from the pine needles. When I walked down there, I actually had quite a decent lie, and I have hit a lot of good shots out of the rough this week, with situations like that, and the wind was back into it and the green wasn't nearly as burned-out and crusted as a lot of them were. So you know, I just figured if -- I mean, I have hit this shot 100,000 times before. Certainly not in this situation, but, you know, I think that's where the hard work has paid off. I mean I just I felt like if I could hit the shot then I know I could hit -- I could get it up-and-down. When the thing landed -- I mean, I knew as soon as it landed I said, "I have won because I knew that it wasn't going to go anymore than a foot past," and when it got closer and closer and closer and disappeared, it was -- that was an incredible emotion right there.

Q. How far was the second shot in on 16 and how far was that thing from falling over the railroad ties --

CRAIG PERKS: I think I had about 205 or 208 and with the wind out of the left, I really felt like I could hit a nice big high cut in there.

Q. Which club?

CRAIG PERKS: A 4-iron. It was actually a little bit more into the wind, out of the left. It started a little bit further right than I wanted it to, but it kind -- it hit solid enough to hold its line and I was actually concerned that it would go -- I knew it was going to carry, and I was concerned that it would go over the green more than kind of miss to the right. But there was actually quite a steep embankment from the whatever, the -- the bulkhead. From the bulkhead was down. It was kind of straight downhill and the rough was -- so that ball really did not have a chance to go through that rough uphill and then over the bulkhead. I mean, it was pretty close. No question, maybe five feet, six feet.

Q. It's not often people win with 1-putt on the last three holes. (Laughter)

CRAIG PERKS: (Laughs).

Q. Talk about that. Is this almost fate or what is....

CRAIG PERKS: I guess it could be fate. Like I said, I pride myself in hanging in there and I did, I did a great job of doing it on a really tough day, and, you know, the chip on 16, under the circumstances, was difficult but wasn't too bad.

Obviously, the putt on 17, that was pretty remarkable. I was really just trying to get it down there close and not have to sweat over the one that I missed; a couple of short ones earlier in the round. When that one fell in, I mean, that was incredible. And then to obviously -- although again the chip on 18 was difficult but it wasn't that difficult. I felt like I could pull -- as soon as I walked up I said, "I can do this."

Q. Talk a little bit about the length of the two short misses, the second one in particular looked like it was inside two feet.

CRAIG PERKS: You know, on those two particular greens, to be honest with you, it didn't seem like there was any grass at all. It was just dirt. And, you know, obviously, in the situation both the first putts that I hit were really good putts. I mean, especially the one on 12 was really, really -- that was unbelievably fast, and then the one on 15 coming up the hill was a good putt. I just think the greens were so tough and with -- obviously, I was nervous. I felt like I hit good putts. I might have hit them too hard, both kind of hit the edge and dove out, and you know, it seemed like there was nothing stopping the ball. It wasn't the grass that would hold the ball, it was just -- it was like, it was kind of like linoleum or whatever, it won't hold its line, it would kind of skid off. They were kind of spiked up a little bit and the -- they were pretty short putts.

Q. Inside two feet?

CRAIG PERKS: Yeah, definitely.

Q. All day long the TV commentators were saying you are up-and-down and about how cool you look, how good everything is going. Do you feel like you want as soon as you get out of here get back to the hotel room that you are going to Open a window and go: Yeah? What are you really feeling inside?

CRAIG PERKS: You know, I am pretty mellow, I guess. I am tired, there's no question. Like I said, throughout the entire day when I did hit good golf shots I made some birdies. I hit a great fairway bunker shot on 5 and made a great birdie there and great 6 on 7 and it just seemed the golf course played so difficult and I drove it very poorly. I really couldn't find the planet to save my life. And that made it even more difficult because these greens were so firm and so fast that you couldn't play out of the rough and actually fortunately I got a fairway bunker -- great fairway bunker shot on 10. It was tough for everybody. Carl was struggling. I figured like if I could just --I felt like when I drove it in the fairway I hit a good iron shot and if I could just get it in the fairway, so I was confident that like I hit a great shot on the 13th that was really, really good shot. It was off a tee on a par 3. So I was -- I'd hit a lot of good iron shots and if I could just get the son of a gun in the fairway I was going to have a chance.

Q. When you imagined winning your first championship this was probably not the way you envisioned it, do you appreciate how far away from the formula you went about winning?

CRAIG PERKS: Yeah, definitely. I think that you know, all week the media was saying that you have to be very experienced; you have to be a past champion; you have to be a major championship winner and I think the way golf is now on this Tour people are breaking a lot of rules, breaking a lot of records. With Charles Howell and all these young players and obviously this is just my third year out here, so I consider myself a young player, experience-wise. But you know, I have worked hard ever since I have come to this country, in 1985 for this moment, and I have had a path and I have kind of stuck to what I thought would help me get to this position. I have worked really, really hard on my golf swing for a long time and these last couple of years I have kind of let that work pay off. I have really worked hard on my putting, and I just think the hard work and perseverance has paid off. And no, didn't ever think I would win THE PLAYERS Championship the way as my first event the way I did win it. But I did expect to win on this on the PGA TOUR.

Q. How did you first qualify for the PGA TOUR, it's not quite clear in the press guide.

CRAIG PERKS: I got through Q-School in 1999 down in Bear Lakes and was tied for 35th. Actually thought I had missed, I 3-putted 17 and actually I 3-putted 16 and 18 but I birdied 17. Along those lines or whatever, and I made it right, right on the number.

Q. You had to do it again the next year?

CRAIG PERKS: Yeah, I finished 136 I think on the money list which I played very poorly starting out, I was a rookie, you are just kind of learning the ropes and these golf courses I played very, very poorly, and I think I put too much pressure on myself thinking that I could be more successful than I had been, and yeah, I had a great -- I had fourth in the Bell Canadian Open, and followed that up with an 11th in Pennsylvania and that gave me enough money to be in that 126 to 150 category. So knowing going into Q-School in 2000 I knew I could play 20 events on this Tour. So kind of relieved the pressure, I went out and finished 8 at Q-School I played very, very well for out in Palm Springs. You know, and then you know, coming out my third year or second year, I mean, I kept my card, so you know, it has been a real struggle, it's taken a lot longer than I wanted it to but I think all the perseverance, and the struggles and everything have helped me get to where I am.

Q. Tell us some highlights of your career on the Hooters Tour.

CRAIG PERKS: Not eating at the restaurant I can tell you that. (Laughter). You know, I think I mean, it's a golf tour where you play 72 holes and they cut after 36, playing in some unbelievable towns you have never heard of and some very, very poor conditioned golf courses but I think playing in that has helped me progress as a player and got me to the Nike Tour. I think you have got to play. You just can't sit around and wait for Q-School to come and hope to be successful. Playing competitively and I did win four times in three years, and I just -- like I said, I was on that Tour a lot longer than I wanted to be of the then I was on the Nike Tour a lot longer than I wanted to but I think those experiences have really helped me become successful.

Q. How many times did you go to Qualifying School in all? 6 or 7 I understand.

CRAIG PERKS: Yeah, I went once. I was -- I graduated in December of 1990 but I went to Q-School that year, finished my eligibility in May and I graduated in December and I went to Q-School in 90. Then you know I was All-American and I was trying get up some money to play I couldn't find anyone to help, so went to work. And then I started again in 93. I played Q-School every year through 2000.

Q. What did you do when you worked?

CRAIG PERKS: Assistant pro at -- the head pro is back there somewhere at Le Triomphe in Lafayette, and I mean it was a great experience. I got to see golf from the other side. I now appreciate what goes on to put a tournament of this magnitude on and I appreciate what goes on to put a club championship on, and I think that although I never wanted to do that for a career, I always felt like I could play this game. It did give me a good appreciation, I had to get up and we worked seven days a week and you know, it was tough. And we didn't get to play that much golf, but I think it was a welcomed break. Coming back out, I got some great people to help me out starting in 1993, and I was hungry. I was really hungry to play and be successful. Sure these guys that had helped me that I could do it, and I think that experience helped.

Q. What were you going to do in three weeks originally and when did you realize that you got --

CRAIG PERKS: I was really going to enjoy two weeks off. I was not going to play Bell South. I was going to sit and watch Augusta. I really enjoy watching golf on TV. Especially the majors and this golf tournament and I was looking forward to seeing the changes on TV. Now I am going to see them real close, I guess, but I mean, I have had some opportunities a few opportunities to go there, to go to Augusta and watch. I never wanted to go. I always wanted to earn my right there, and I have earned it.

Q. How is this going to play in Lafayette?

CRAIG PERKS: Got some people from Lafayette back here. My wife and very, very good friend of mine and head pro and few other guys had flown in this morning to come watch me play. Lafayette is a great town. It is a very, very small airport that I don't fly out of very much. I usually drive to New Orleans, and the golf course Le Triomphe where they have the Nike event or BUY.COM event, I have been very lucky to play out of there, kind of use that facility whenever I wanted to, and I mean, the greatest people in the world. My wife is from there, and the best food. There's no question it's the best food in the world and I love to eat, so it's been great, and with my wife Maureen being from there and you know, I have got two small kids who are going to grow up in the same school that she went to and the same school that her parents went to, and you know I am not really a big city guy, and you know, I have really enjoyed my time there. I went to college there for a couple of years, and I never really wanted to leave. Maureen's parents are very, very close to her, and I couldn't in good faith take her away from her parents especially with the kids and my being away so much. It's just a great --really is a great little city.

Q. How did you get there to school? Didn't you start --

CRAIG PERKS: I started the university of Oklahoma, while at Oklahoma we played a college event, the Louisiana Classics at Oakborn (ph) which is another good golf course in Lafayette, and the each team would be hosted by a family. We were hosted by a nice family and I got to know them really well. I went back there a couple of years, and I had followed Grant Waite to the university of Oklahoma. He was like my big brother. He was like my big brother even before I came to the States. We played a lot of golf together. We were born in the same hometown, and so he was two years ahead of me and when I left we had a coaching change and I was just lost. And I just decided that the coach and I really mutually agreed that I could leave. He gave me a release. I had so much fun in Lafayette. I went down there on a recruiting trip; got to meet Mike Heinen -- who has won on this Tour. He's just a class guy; got to meet so many people down there and it was really, really a great atmosphere, and you know, the year that I left Oklahoma they won the National Championship. That's the only regret because I'd like to be a part of something like that in college, but there's no regrets about going to Lafayette.

Q. You talked about being the type that you hang in there and you hang in tough, what is the different between hanging in to win on the Hooters Tour, BUY.COM Tour and for a million dollars today?

CRAIG PERKS: That's a good question. You know, I have done it my whole career, so it wasn't any different today. I will give you a perfect example, at Bay Hill last week I hit two balls out-of-bounds on the first hole. And I have seen a lot of players on this Tour who would have packed it in. And I was really proud of myself that I hung in there and I hung in there and I ended up making the cut. I mean, that's how I compete. It could be going so bad and I am going to give it 100% on every single shot. I was trying to hit every tee shot as good as I could today but I didn't hit very few. When I got to that next tee I felt like I was going to hit it good. I have done it my entire career. So it wasn't any different today.

Q. Of all the things that this victory brings, what means most to you?

CRAIG PERKS: I think just showing that I can win on this Tour. I have worked so hard to get here first of all, and I knew that I could be successful at this level. And today showed me that I can play with the best players in the world. You know all the things that come along with it are great. But I think you have still got to try and remain grounded and say, hey it's still golf and I have still got to go out there and beat everybody and it's going to be pretty sensational to play in all the majors and know that I have five years out here that I can -- I am not going to change I am really -- I am going to try to do the same things, work hard and I know there's going to be a few luxuries along the way, but I think just knowing that I can do it and actually achieving it is very gratifying.

Q. Do you remember how big that big Hooters check was, the winners check?

CRAIG PERKS: $11,000.

Q. How did you first get started in golf?

CRAIG PERKS: My dad had two artificial hips and I was about maybe 10. We had a course back home and he couldn't bend down and put the ball on the tee or get it out of the hole. I went along before school, just kind of with him and I had a great relationship with my dad who is no longer living, but and I just -- I enjoyed the time with him and we just -- I mean I just -- I pulled the pull cart along, one day, probably about six months or so he said do you want to play. I said no, I really don't. And then we just went along, went along, and then one day, I said, yeah. I hit some shots and you know, I played a lot of table tennis and I swam and I played rugby and cricket. I did a lot of sports, and then one day, I just -- I just kind of got the bug, I kind of got outgrown, I guess, with table tennis and swimming, and didn't like getting beaten up in rugby, so I kind of took up golf. That was probably around 13, and when I did, I kind of put my mind to it. I have two elder brothers and mom and dad we all played as a family. That was something we did on the weekend. You know, I was okay and mom and dad weren't very good but it was how our family got together. I mean I really enjoyed those times and golf is such a lonely sport and to be around family and friends while playing golf is something I really enjoy doing.

Q. What made you apply for a scholarship?

CRAIG PERKS: Grant Waite -- well, the university of Oklahoma team came to New Zealand on like a -- they just came there to play against other players and -- Greg Turner was on the team as well. They came on the -- New Zealand came to my home course. I was in my school unform watching these guys having so much fun. I said that's exactly what I want to do. That was in 1983. At the time I was a good player. I was -- I think I was close to being a New Zealand champion for my age, maybe under 16 or whatever. And I was just kind of in the pipeline. I was kind of -- when it was my time to go over there when I was 18 I was next in line. Greg Turner was the best player, he went. Grant Waite was the best player New Zealand, he went. Then I was the next best. It was kind of a pipeline to Oklahoma. I really think that there were a lot of people at the time, I was probably one of the best two or three amateurs in the country, being 18 year old, New Zealanders didn't like the young guys going to the States. I just thought that that was in my best interest to where I wanted to get was to be on the PGA TOUR and it was a really good experience.

Q. You have spoken a little bit about this, but this victory actually gives you a career. I wonder if you have had time to even think about the significance of that?

CRAIG PERKS: No, I haven't, but I think what it's going to allow me to do is to play against the best players in the world at these Championship sites. No offense to John Deere and Milwaukee, but to play at Augusta and to play the U.S. Open and the British Open and places like that, and I hope this is not my defining moment. I hope I can build on this. It was a tough day. And you know, I hung in there and I will gain a lot of confidence from that knowing that you know, when you get on sites like this, you know, you don't have to shoot 65 on Sunday to win. I think that's -- like I said, it's a great start to my career.

Q. Ever had as wild a round (sic)?

CRAIG PERKS: No, no at all. But to be honest with you I haven't played as hard a golf course like this. I think that's what leads to the ups and downs.

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