FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC

June 26, 2003

David Gossett

TODD BUDNICK: We thank David Gossett, someone who knows a little bit about this golf course, for joining us today after a 5-under 66. That matches your best first score that you had in 1996 as an amateur. Talk a little bit about the day.

DAVID GOSSETT: I felt good starting off. Kind of got off to a slow start. I had six birdies today and one bogey. Felt like I managed my game pretty well and obviously had a strong finish. I birdied the last three holes, so it's always nice to finish strong, hit it to about two feet on the last hole, so that was fun.

I stroked the ball pretty well. My putting, I had one 3-putt on No. 8, I hit a good iron shot and I 3-putted from 20 feet.

I had a good bounce-back with birdies on 9 and 10 after making bogey.

I hit a great iron shot on 5, made birdie, and I feel good about my round.

Good clutch birdies on 17 and 18.

Q. David, does it feel any different each year you come here and play? Do you get any more of a comfort level than you already have?

DAVID GOSSETT: It does. Every year is a little different, and it's exciting. They're so similar because FedEx, it's hot and humid, it's my home golf course, a lot of friends and family, but just not only this week, but each year on the PGA Tour that I've been out playing professional golf is getting more comfortable. I'm learning the ropes, getting more into my game and sharpening up my game and just playing better and working on my game to play a lot more consistent.

I love coming back here. I feel very comfortable playing here on my home golf course, and I'm working on a lot. It's not like I'm breezing through here. I've got a lot of areas to improve on. It's nice to get off to a good start. You can never win on the first day but you can certainly not put yourself behind the 8 ball, and I didn't do that at all.

Q. It would seem like the best thing that could happen in this tournament as far as interest and fans would be for the local guys to do really well and maybe make a run a winning it. I'm assuming you'd like to be part of that?

DAVID GOSSETT: I'd be crazy if I wasn't. I'm not playing here to go through the motions. Absolutely not. I can't really afford to go ahead of myself and entertain those thoughts. This game is so fickle. Week in, week out, I just kind of observe the winners and it seems like every time they come in here and interview they're immersed in their own games and they're not thinking about winning. When I get ahead and start thinking about winning or the possibility, it just puts more pressure on myself. I'm just trying to keep it simple and focus on one round at a time, and I feel like I focused on my game plan today and was fortunate to birdie those last three holes and get it to 5-under on Day 1. So that's a good start. I've got a good look at Day 2 tomorrow, but obviously it would be tremendous.

Q. David, do you think there's any coincidence at this stage of the tournament right now that the two leaders are two players that are very familiar with this course?

DAVID GOSSETT: Jay Haas? What is he, 7-under? Well, I'm sure if he's leading after Day 1, which he may not be, you know, Jay is playing great golf no matter which course he's playing on. He's done well here. Has he won here? '92 at Southwind. I was here, I was young, I don't remember. Anyway, I do remember now. I'm sure you'll probably tell him that.

Certainly, any time you've done really well at any course or played a course a lot of times, it's comfortable. You're familiar with it but you still have to hit good golf shots. That's the greatest thing about this game. No matter if you're a hometown guy -- I've played this course more than any player out here, and it doesn't matter. You've got to tee it up on 1 and make the putts. I may know the details a little better, but if I don't apply it, it's not all that helpful.

Q. You mentioned observing the winners the last few weeks or whatever. Is there a common denominator in their game or their approach that you now try to emulate or that's been missing in you?

DAVID GOSSETT: I'm trying to attend more to just my game as, I said earlier. I've observed the last few weeks or the last few years, just kind of rehashing my own game weeks where I've played well, and it seems like -- you guys are going to hate this, but it's the old cliche, "one shot at a time." It's a cliche for a reason. It's like life, once you get ahead of yourself and worry about uncertainties and what may come and what may not, you're wasting your time not enjoying the present. In golf it's extremely important if you're going to play at a high level to focus on what's in front of you because you have to hit precise golf shots at specific targets, and if you don't, you're going to hit it in the water or hit it on the wrong side of the slope and have a tough putt and you're going to be in defense instead of offense. Those are things that I've known for a long time but at a higher level trying to apply more often. There's less margin of error; these guys are good. There's so many guys that can light it up and so many events week in and week out, there's somebody that's going to be peaking this week and they're going to play well.

TODD BUDNICK: Go through your birdies.

DAVID GOSSETT: 5, I hit a great drive, 3-iron and left a 10-footer hanging on the lip for eagle and made birdie.

Next birdie was on 9, I hit a 3-wood and a wedge to 10 feet, made that.

10, I hit a 3-wood and an 8-iron to seven feet, made that.

The next birdie was on 16, I hit a driver and a 2-iron to the front of the green, had like an 8-footer and rolled it up to about three feet, made birdie.

17, I hit a 3-wood and a 7-iron to 24 feet, made that.

18, I hit a 3-wood and an 8-iron to about three feet and made that.

TODD BUDNICK: Thank you, David.

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