VALERO TEXAS OPEN

September 27, 2002

Rory Sabbatini

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Rory, great job today. 65, it puts you at nine under in the tournament going into the weekend. You've got to like your position. You have to be happy with that.

RORY SABBATINI: I played solidly out there today. I played solidly the last two days, so I'm happy with the way I'm going out there. Obviously, you're up there with a chance for the weekend and it's a great thing.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Anything particular you're doing well or just not making mistakes? What's been the secret so far in the first two rounds.

RORY SABBATINI: I've played very solidly the last two days. If I have made mistakes, I've limited the damage that's been made. I'm driving the ball nicely. I'm putting pretty nicely out there. The course is playing very fair, so I think if you just keep your composure when you are out there and take advantage of the opportunities you get, when you do get them, you can go low.

Q. Any change in the conditions from yesterday to today? Did you play different today than you did yesterday?

RORY SABBATINI: I think the greens just played a little faster today. The course has dried out consistently, so I think by Sunday we can expect to have a pretty firm golf course out there and some pretty fast greens.

Q. Are there holes here that you try to gamble on more than the other places?

RORY SABBATINI: You know, I definitely would probably say 16 you can, because other than right there's not too much of a problem there, especially if you fly it down far enough, because if you do hit it off line you're going to be in a green-side bunker. You just have to make sure you miss it in the right spot on the right day.

But I think from last year to this year, the lesson I've learned out there is, it's not a course you really need to land a putt; you just need to put the ball in the right spots out there. It doesn't matter if it's a 7-iron or a sand wedge, as long as you're hitting the ball in the fairway. The greens are small enough that if you just keep the ball on the greens, you're not going to be far from the hole.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: What's your plan for the weekend.

RORY SABBATINI: Hopefully to go low.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Thank you very much.

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