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BELL CANADIAN OPEN

September 8, 2004

Darren Wallace

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Darren, thank you for joining us for a couple of minutes this morning. First and foremost, congratulations on winning the Canadian Amateur Championship. It has got to be a great perk to receive an exemption into the Bell Canadian Open as a result of that. Let's start with some opening comments on winning the Canadian Amateur and playing in the Canadian Open.

DARREN WALLACE: It was great winning the Canadian Amateur. I worked hard this year and it really paid off. It's just great winning. It's been great so far just being here at Glen Abbey playing alongside pros, it's been fun.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: What's been the highlight of your week so far.

DARREN WALLACE: I got Arnold's autograph and got some pictures with him.

Q. You've been here for a few days now and had a chance to get settled. Are you getting used to all the attention yet?

DARREN WALLACE: Sort of, I guess. I'm after I won the Canadian Amateur, I had a lot of phone calls, a lot of media asking me questions after that. I'm starting to get used to it a little bit, I guess.

Q. Have you figured out how you're going to get to 16 in two shots, yet?

DARREN WALLACE: Sort of. I have to really hit two good shots to get there, though, it's a long hole.

Q. So you come in here as a Canadian Amateur Champion, obviously you come in here, you're a smart kid, you're going to set a goal for this week. What's the goal? Do you have a goal?

DARREN WALLACE: I think if I play well enough, I think I can make the cut. That's what I'm trying to do while I'm here, is make the cut. If I think if I do that I'll be pretty happy with how I play this week.

Q. If you can tell me just a little bit about yourself in terms of your game, what's the strength of your game, maybe the weaknesses, who are you working with at home and that sort of thing, and the things that got you to this level where you are right now?

DARREN WALLACE: Well, my coach Shawn Richardson has really helped my game. I started taking lessons from him about two and a half years ago, and he brought my game up to a new level, from D.C., he works out of Coyote Creek, a RCGA has a practice facility there.

Strength, I hit a lot of fairways. I'm a pretty straight driver. I have a pretty good short game. The long grass hasn't bothered me that much around the greens. I have to keep the ball in the fairway, that's for sure, to really do well here.

For weaknesses, I'm not a very long hitter. I'm not very strong either, so if I do go into the rough off the tee, it could cause some problems.

Q. Just wondering, yesterday was the first time you've played the course?

DARREN WALLACE: Well, I played nine holes two days ago.

Q. But you hadn't seen it before that?

DARREN WALLACE: No.

Q. Is your caddie or anybody helping you out, as far as knowing the course? A lot of people who are successful here, even making the cut, it helps to play this course a number of times, and you're pretty new here.

DARREN WALLACE: I am. I went out yesterday. I thought the course was pretty good. I mean, I like the course. It sort of suits my game a bit. Distance hasn't bothered me that bad. The ball runs a lot more so it's more than I'm used to, watching the ball bounce and run, but it hasn't bothered me that much.

Q. Who is caddying for you this week?

DARREN WALLACE: My coach, Shawn Richardson.

Q. As a young guy, what kind of impact would you say Mike Weir has had on your career, perhaps your aspirations your goals as a young golfer from Canada?

DARREN WALLACE: Being Canadian, I've looked up to him, especially with him winning the Masters. I guess that's something to shoot for being Canadian. I think he was the first Canadian to win that. Hopefully I can be the second with many more to come.

Q. Would you describe him as a hero to you, or do you have other heroes you look up to?

DARREN WALLACE: I look up to a lot of the PGA professionals, because they have they've become successful and it's what I want to do when I grow up. Hopefully I can match their careers. I look up to Mike because he is Canadian.

Q. If you had one poster on your wall at home, who would it be?

DARREN WALLACE: One poster?

Q. And it doesn't have to be golf.

DARREN WALLACE: I guess I would have to put Tiger's up there because he's done so much with his career, at such a young age, I guess. Hopefully I can do the same.

Q. So if you're not here this week, exactly where are you, what school, what grade, that sort of things are you into right now?

DARREN WALLACE: Well, I'm going into grade 11 at Walnut Grove Secondary School at Langley. I would be going to school right now. I would be in class.

Q. Would you rather be here?

DARREN WALLACE: Of course.

Q. In terms of aspirations, what do you want to do? We've seen the try on thing, and you know about that, I'm sure, are you the type of thing that wants to go to an NCAA school and play at that level, or are you thinking a little bit differently, or are you even thinking that way at all?

DARREN WALLACE: After I finish high school, I'm going to go down to university down in the states. I'm hoping to get a scholarship to one of the top schools down there. Hopefully I'll turn pro after I finish university.

Q. You spoke a little bit about your coach, I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit about the RCGA program that I presume you are a part of and how much it's helped you out. There's been clear evidence in the last couple of years it's churning out players at a pretty good rate.

DARREN WALLACE: Yes, it's been a great help for me. At this one course, certain players get free balls and it's great just being able to go there and not have to take money out of my pocket every time. It's really helped because they have this great practice facility that the RCGA uses, and it's been a great help so far, yes.

Q. You're from B.C. and I know James Lepp is there as well. How do you interact with James Lepp who has won on the Canadian Tour and other higher level amateur golfs, because B.C. more than any other province has turned out higher level amateur players.

DARREN WALLACE: I haven't met James Lepp. I talked to him only this year I really started to talk to him. For knowing amateurs, I don't really know that many. I started playing amateur tournaments this year. I've stuck to junior events before. I know a lot of the juniors, but not so much the older players.

Q. I'm wondering, do you feel more pressure going into this event where really outside of yourself nobody has expectations, or is there more pressure going into an amateur or junior event where you're more well known?

DARREN WALLACE: Well, I don't feel that much pressure going into a junior event, local event or whatever, I'll probably feel pressure once I step onto the first tee. There will probably be a crowd around. It will be a little different than what I'm used to, that's for sure. Pressure, I don't think it will be that big of a deal.

Q. Are you feeling any pressure just sitting here talking to us?

DARREN WALLACE: Not really. I'm starting to get used to media stuff. It becomes almost natural, I guess, so not really, no.

Q. How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

DARREN WALLACE: About five eight and about 120 pounds.

Q. How long have you had your braces for?

DARREN WALLACE: Three years.

Q. When do you get them off?

DARREN WALLACE: No idea. I haven't been very good with them.

Q. Have you stopped and looked around at the players in the field, like on the practice tee, or have you had trouble getting in? Have you seen a lot of players golf?

DARREN WALLACE: The security is starting to get used to seeing me around a little bit. At first I always had to show them my player card, they would always stop me at the entrance. I stopped and looked around a bit when I was on the driving range just to see who was around, to see what I'm actually accomplishing here.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Darren, thank you very much.

End of FastScripts.

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