ENERGIZER SENIOR TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 8, 1996

Vicente Fernandez

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Okay, at the 10, hit 3-wood from the tee and then sand wedge about eight feet from the hole. 11, 3-wood again. 8-iron. And about 9 feet from the hole.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I have a lot of opportunity today. I played from tee-to-green a lot better than yesterday. I have a lot of birdie chances, and I only take those two. I have got birdie chance at the 3rd; good birdie chance at the 5th. Good birdie chance at the 7th. Good birdie chance at the 8th. And then good birdie chance at 15th. And that was it.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yeah, a little bit today because it was very strong, yeah.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yes, I did.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Well, I just tried to keep the ball low without using my hands; tried to just to swing through, putting it a little bit more back on my right foot.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: It could be, yes, it could be a lot better today.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: On Tour?

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: No.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: I think so because when we played the PGA it wasn't that windy. It was breezy, but not this windy. I don't remember if we play any other round as windy as today. I don't remember.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: It is a very good feeling. I wish I have more often that feeling.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Very often. Very often, yeah.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: I think it helped because -- especially to adjust distance, it is very difficult to adjust distance when you are not used to the wind. More than striking the ball is to get the right distance because to adjust how much is going to affect, even to putt on the greens, it is quite difficult because it is not, I mean, a permanent breeze. It is come in and it goes, which is more difficult. Sometimes you expect the ball to go 20 more yards and the wind drop and it goes only 5, so it is quite difficult.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yeah, 10 also. As I told you before, even those holes with the wind behind, they were tough. Like number 1, number 2, number 3, they were tough holes and the -- 10 was a tough hole even you hit the shot short, I mean I hit a sand wedge but it still was a tough shot. 11, I hit 3-wood and 8-iron and it was a tough shot because just a little miss-hit and.... Adios.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Well, I didn't change much club but I changed shots. I hit the same club and different distance because when I was ready, may drop, so I hit a little bit easier or the other way around, so it was tough.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yeah.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: It is as difficult when it is towards your face. Even hitting the short irons, it was difficult to control it because sometimes, if the wind blows too hard, you hit a sand wedge and the wind drops it down so it doesn't go that far so you have to hit kind of shot that it first goes up to make the wind put it forward, but you hit it just too see it may drop down, so it is tough.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Well, I have a lot of things. All depends what shot it is; where it is, I have a lot of things that I do in my career, I learn it and it helped me a lot in these conditions, but if it gets cooler than today, then it is something else that you have to add it because the ball won't go as far as it went today, so it is going to play even longer.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: It is a lot more thing to concentrate about. We all want less things to think about.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Oh, yes, I like it. I like to be in this situation. I mean, for me, as I said before, just to be here is a dream come true and playing like I am playing, what else can I ask for?

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: (Laughter.)

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: No. No. No.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Well, I always considered myself a very good wind player, but I wasn't feeling well the last few days. I mean, the last three or four days because I had something wrong on Monday. I am allergic to shellfish and wrongly I had a shrimp on Monday morning in my breakfast. I had to go straight to the hospital and I was a bit weak and dizzy because I mean the medicine they put me -- in my vein, so I am very happy to just to play the way I played and to be in this position. I didn't expect -- to be honest, I didn't expect at the beginning -- I mean, on Tuesday, I didn't expect to play that well.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yes, because it was a mixed vegetables, eggs, and they putt some shellfish.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: I didn't know. I am allergic. I always take care of that. But it really was in that and they didn't say anything. I had to go straight to the hospital. My manager over there was more worried than myself when we found out. Three minutes later it start to swell.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: My throat --

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yeah.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yes.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: We are partners. And I was told that in every meal they put shellfish here, is that true?

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: I wouldn't try.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Me too. I like fish but not shellfish. The reaction is instant.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Oh, yeah, I can die in two hours.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: No. No. No.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: I took it because I felt so weak and doctor told me that it would be okay, but it took longer than I expected. I mean, very weak, headache, dizzy.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Maybe that is the secret to do well.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Monday, yes.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: I am feeling much better. I still have some kind of headache and sometimes a bit weak.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Yeah. Yeah. I still have in my vein, right here (pointing to hand).

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: Thank you very much.

VICENTE FERNANDEZ: I hope so.