PGA GRAND SLAM OF GOLF

November 22, 2000

Paul Azinger

PAUL AZINGER: Well, yesterday was, you know, a bit of a surprise. In an effort not to make a bogey, I pitched it over the green and then I even tried to chip that in and missed the putt and made double. That was disappointing. And today, I got really unlucky. My second shot just missed in the bunker, and I had such a bad lie I had 80, 90 yards up front and hit a full pitching wedge about 50 yards. And then I hit a decent shot about eight feet and missed it and then slapped it and then bogey again. So played that hole 4-over; it was awful. It really shows I did play decent, considering I didn't make any putts at all, over two days. To play that hole 4-over par and still only be 4-over shows you how good I hit it. I hit it good enough to have a chance, I think I ended up losing by nine or 10 shots, whatever. But I just couldn't see the line. The wind bothered me a little bit. It horrible my worst two putting rounds, probably, of the year, statistically I've been the shortest in total putts per the round and fourth in hitting greens in regulation. So I putted fantastic all season, and I just couldn't get it in.

PAUL AZINGER: Well, the Sony Open gave me a lot of confidence. And the main thing is I've just putted well. My chipping and putting have been phenomenal season, and that's been the big difference, really in the last, you know, three previous years. I hit it better this year, but not really like I used to hit it; and mainly, I improved because of my chipping and putting.