THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 23, 2001

Jerry Kelly

JERRY KELLY: I put myself in the fairway quite a bit. The ones I missed were in the first cuts. And got away with one on-one of the par 5's where I put it in some heavy stuff. But other than that, it has been pretty steady.

JERRY KELLY: It might be one of my best rounds. I mean, I haven't shot terribly low all that many times. You know, I tend to play a little better on some of the harder golf courses because I can get the ball up-and-down. But I made some good birdies out there. It was steadier than my norm.

JERRY KELLY: Actually we got on the course on Tuesday and Wednesday, which we were not expecting until Wednesday afternoon. So that was a pleasant surprise. I got out here early on the Wednesday before and I kind of found out the way I was going to play the course and a game plan for me and that really worked for me, and I executed well the first two days.

JERRY KELLY: Really just a swing thought of being a little shorter and not worrying about it. I used to come up to those driving distance-holes and say, "I've got it get it over 300." Now I don't really care how far I'm hitting, and now I tend to be hitting farther now that I am shortening it up and just trying to go for the fairways.

JERRY KELLY: Harrison is a great guy. I've played with him a lot and for a long time, also. We were real loose out there. We had a good time. You know, it's easy when you are talking with a player and you like the player you are playing with, when you know you can take your time. That helps. I mean, there's some tough putts out there that you could really use about three, four, or five minutes on, and I got to take all the time I needed.

JERRY KELLY: Well, I mean, I'll let you in on a little something. I thought about 17, it must have been on the fourth hole, thinking about my wind direction. That is what it can do to you. It can kind of nag at you if you are not thinking properly. You know, if you've got time like I had, you can look up and say, "The wind is blowing that way. It's going to be right into the face." You just have to really block everything out when you come to it and know it is just an 8-iron like any other shot and go ahead and make a good swing.

JERRY KELLY: I had 148, and I'm a 150 8-iron and I got over the top of it, and the wind is going a little right-to-left, I didn't think it was going to be blowing in that much. When I got over the top I'm like, "Oh, sit down, please." I needed to say 'get up'.

JERRY KELLY: I've had some decent rounds here, but my driver had always put me in some unbelievable spots. I'm walking around telling my caddy, Tommy: "I put it in the water here and I put it in the water here. These are spots that, you know you don't hit it in the water on those holes." And he's like, "What did you shoot?" "I shot about 70 or 69, but it was ugly." But now I feel really confident. And I'm controlling the trajectory in my driver; and that's everything, to be able to shape the shots. You need to hit a lot of shots out here, not just one straight, solid draw. You need to shape it in and I feel real good.

JERRY KELLY: It's terrible. (Laughter.) No, I'm pretty pleased. This is the players' major. You know, there is no two ways to say it. In our books, this is just as strong as any major. There's no question. If they could -- if they could make five, we'd make five. But Tiger would win probably 47. (Laughs).

JERRY KELLY: I think they mean when 17 is rock hard; then it gets comical sometimes. But it's a pretty fantastic hole. I can't say anything bad about it. But it's not too long of a hole for its severity. When the wind is up, it's just tough as nails. Everybody knows it. It is a pretty good design, in my mind.

JERRY KELLY: You know, it doesn't matter what day it is. You would like to do it on Saturday and Sunday also, but just to get a good round under the belt and go in there and knowing that you are swinging solid, that's most important thing. I feel great about the round.

JERRY KELLY: I've got just as good a chance as anybody. My swing right now, Rick Smith has completely overhauled it. I'm extremely confident in it. I've got a good short game going right now. I'm doing everything I want to do. It's just a matter if I can keep between the ears nice and steady, be patient and go ahead and make things happen. I think my game is good enough right now.