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THE MCGLADREY CLASSIC

October 16, 2011

Bud Cauley

SEA ISLAND, GEORGIA

Q. Congratulations on another really solid tournament out here on the PGA TOUR.
BUD CAULEY: Thanks. I played well today. Up to today it's kind of been a little frustrating for me, but I hit it a little better today and got some putts to fall, so it was nice.

Q. There's a short list, Gary Hallberg, Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard, Tiger Woods and Ryan Moore, the only players ever to go from college directly to the PGA TOUR without a stop at the qualifying tournament. How does that feel? That's an elite list.
BUD CAULEY: Yeah, obviously those guys have definitely done all right, so I'm proud of myself and happy with the way the summer is going. Just can't wait to get out here.

Q. You already live in Jacksonville, Florida. Is that home base now for your playing here, or Arizona? There's a lot of places where PGA TOUR players make home now.
BUD CAULEY: I'll definitely be staying in Florida, whether it's in Jacksonville or a little bit farther southwest, we'll see. But definitely in Florida.

Q. What are your plans here for the off-season?
BUD CAULEY: Actually I'm playing next week in the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open in in Jacksonville, Nationwide Tour event there at the Valley Course. It looks like I'm going to be out of the top 10 so Disney is a no-go, so I'm going to go down there next week and try and play well.

Q. You made a push there, not quite enough to get the top 10 to get into next week. But talk about the push you made.
BUD CAULEY: Yeah I played well today. Obviously had a couple mistakes there on the back nine and made some bogeys, but this week is really just kind of the putter. I hit a lot of good putts today that rolled over the edge and kind of cost me a little bit. But I'm pleased with how I played today.

Q. You talked about it earlier in the week that it was on your mind if you would get your card. You were going to try and block that out, but now that the week is over it looks like you will probably have enough. How does that feel?
BUD CAULEY: Well, if that's the case, obviously very exciting for me. It's always been my dream to play on the PGA TOUR, so if that's the case I'll be looking forward to next year.

Q. Jacksonville, you've got a home game this week on the Nationwide Tour coming up. Talk about that.
BUD CAULEY: Yeah, I'm looking forward to next week. It'll be fun to play in Jacksonville. I'll have a lot of family and friends out, and I love playing the Valley Course there at TPC, so it should be a great week.

Q. Plans for the rest of the year schedule-wise? Anything else you're planning on playing anywhere?
BUD CAULEY: No, that's it right now, just the Nationwide Tour event and then might take a couple weeks off.

Q. (Inaudible.)
BUD CAULEY: Well, the worst thing in the world would be for me to jinx myself, so I'm not sure what I'll finish up here and whatnot. But obviously it's very exciting for me, and like I said, I can't wait to come out here and play all year next year.

Q. Did you want to play Disney? Let's say you were 110 on the Money List and you were pretty well locked in. Would you still want to play?
BUD CAULEY: You mean like I would already have my card? Sure, I'd love to play. It's really tough for me because to play in Jacksonville would be a great experience. I've never gotten to play a professional event in my hometown, so that would be a lot of fun. But obviously it's tough to pass up an opportunity to play on the PGA TOUR.

Q. Were you looking at the leaderboard knowing what you needed to do?
BUD CAULEY: Yeah, I had a pretty good idea of what I needed to do. I was pretty pumped I made that one on 17, and I knew 18 would be a big putt. It could even turn out where I could be two back. Those guys are making a lot of birdies out there. But I knew 18 was really my only chance to get in there, and I was disappointed I missed but happy the way I played today.

Q. What's your history at the Valley Course?
BUD CAULEY: I've never played a tournament out there but just in high school and stuff like that I've played there.

Q. Tom Lewis won today over in Portugal.
BUD CAULEY: Yeah, I've never played with Tom or met him, but everyone knows how well he played in the U.S. Open.

Q. What happened to the learning curve that used to exist 10, 20 years ago?
BUD CAULEY: The golf ball doesn't know how old you are or anything, just go out there and hit it and try to get it in the hole.

Q. Unless Disney came through with some kind of invitation that we don't know about, next week for certain you'll be at the Valley Course?
BUD CAULEY: Uh-huh.

Q. What do you hope to accomplish that week, just one more week of competition, one more week of experience at a high level?
BUD CAULEY: Yeah, I won't approach it any differently than I did this week or last week for that matter. Another event, another competition, and I'm just going to go out and try to play as well as I can.

Q. (Inaudible.)
BUD CAULEY: Lately I've been practicing out at TPC, but before that it was Winter Park in high school.

Q. Do you go to the back of the range?
BUD CAULEY: I've kind of been sneaking back there.

Q. I know 1 you kind of went over the green. Was that a result of maybe trying too hard?
BUD CAULEY: No, it was really just the lie. I hit kind of mediocre drives there and they just missed the fairway, and I got two fliers. I don't know what I could have done. I thought I had the right club. My caddie and I talked it out and it came out a lot hotter on both of those holes than we thought it would.

Q. You're effectively a member at TPCs everywhere.
BUD CAULEY: Yeah, I know about that.

Q. In retrospect, coming out the way you did, having to get a sponsor invitation and having to play your way in and every week there was pressure to do well to set yourself up for another start, were you feeling pressure or was that fun?
BUD CAULEY: No, I mean, it was a lot of fun. It was a new experience for me. I enjoyed every week except I missed the cut in Reno. That wasn't nearly as fun as all the others. But I've had a great time this summer and into the fall and just look forward to taking a couple weeks off after next week.

Q. Have you thought about where you're going to start up next year?
BUD CAULEY: No, not really. I haven't let myself get that far ahead yet.

Q. I don't know much about the college system, but what's the most you've ever gone between competitive tournaments, how much time off in other words?
BUD CAULEY: Like the most I've ever gone?

Q. Yeah, most you've gone without competing.
BUD CAULEY: In the college season you normally don't go more than a couple weeks. I probably haven't gone more than a couple weeks in a long time just because you play college events and the way amateur golf is now you can play an event every week if you want to, so we played quite a bit of golf.

Q. I know there's a lot of SEC guys out there. Have you had any of them reach out to you how far you've come and how close you were getting?
BUD CAULEY: Yeah, I've had some guys text me. After last week I had a lot of text messages from guys, not necessarily just SEC guys but local guys saying good playing and whatnot.

Q. Anyone stand out from the guys that contacted you?
BUD CAULEY: No, not really. Whenever my instructor Craig Shankland gives me some praise. That's the most important thing for me.

Q. People don't know very much about Michael Thompson. What kind of scouting report would you give his game?
BUD CAULEY: His nickname is Slick. He makes everything or he's known for doing that, so I'm sure that's what he's been doing this week. He's just got a really solid all-around game, and I hope he plays well today.

Q. What was your nickname on the team?
BUD CAULEY: I think Bud is good enough.

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