WGC ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

February 20, 2002

Tom Lehman

TOM LEHMAN: You know, the first nine holes, it was a matter of everybody giving the other player gifts. For an example, I butchered that one hole, No. 6, made a double. And then the 9th hole, I hit a terrible drive and then Hal missed with a wedge and made bogey, and gave me that hole. So we were playing terrible.

The back nine, we played pretty well and started making birdies. I just made a couple more than he did.

I hit it about a foot on 10 to go 1-up, and then he made about a 30-footer on 11 to go back to even.

We both birdied 12.

He made bogey on 13; so I was 1-up.

He hit it close and missed on the next hole; so I stayed 1-up.

And I hit it close on 15 and went 2-up.

Q. How close was that?

TOM LEHMAN: Five feet, six feet.

16 and 17, we both made pars.

So it was good golf on the back nine. Front nine was lacking.

Q. Interesting pairing. Obviously, you two guys have been around a long time, Ryder Cup experience. Were you looking forward to it because of that at all?

TOM LEHMAN: Well, I knew he was going to be a tough opponent. The one thing is that neither of us have been playing all that great this year; so it wasn't like we were playing terrible. Just kind of a lot of rounds where nothing happened. Today was somewhat similar, but it was -- you know, there was a lot of good shots. To beat Hal is always feather in your cap because he's such a tough competitor.

Q. Did you guys talk much out there?

TOM LEHMAN: A little, but we both wanted to win. We both were focused on our game for a while there. It was always very close, and so in the end there was not a lot of talking.

Hal, he's a real good friend, and I have a great deal of respect for him. He's a real classy guy. But when you're playing a match against him, it's not like you're discussing world politics.

Q. After today, how do you feel about your game in a match-play situation?

TOM LEHMAN: I feel like I'm playing pretty well. The thing that's really hurt me this year is just making no putts. I've been stroking a lot of really good putts, a lot of good putts look like they are going to go in and don't.

I've decided since I'm not going to make any putts, I'm going to completely change my putting grip, which I did today. I mean, I'm holing it totally different and the club feels extremely strange in my hands. But I actually started to roll the ball pretty well, especially from 15, 20 feet. I was really happy with the way the putter felt; and so therefore, as the putter goes, so does Tom Lehman.

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