GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

July 27, 2003

Todd Fischer

TODD BUDNICK: We thank Todd Fischer, for stopping in after his 5-under 65. Todd, a great back nine for your third-place finish today.

TODD FISCHER: Thank you, I played well all week long, it finally came together. I struggled with my putting on the second and third day and even on the front 9 today, whether I was getting it close enough to make putts or not, I don't know, but I was never in a good rhythm putting, it may be the wind affected it, but I was never -- I could never really line the putt up. I had some short ones that I missed. I think playing the back nine today, chipping in on 10 and making a short putt on 11. I had about a 12 -, 15-footer for par on 12 that really kept things going.

TODD BUDNICK: And I believe this is your career best today.

TODD FISCHER: Yes.

TODD BUDNICK: Talk a little bit about that.

TODD FISCHER: That's what I was asking what the purse breakdown is. Everybody talks about that number for next year. And I think once -- I'm a first-year out here and I know I could play out here. I guess first of all just to make sure that I have a job next year and then have fun and maybe take this momentum and keep going with that.

TODD BUDNICK: Do we any questions out here?

Q. A couple of times, maybe you got one out of the lead, were you aware of that? Obviously, you had to catch Peter, were you aware of how close you were to him?

TODD FISCHER: Well, I never knew how close I was. I always thought I was a couple, 3 back at times. I'm just trying to -- I have been hitting some errant shots this year and I tried to stay in the present and not hit those errant shots.

Q. Are you playing the golf course the best you can to see what happens?

TODD FISCHER: Yes. Fortunately I had some good shots and got close on the back nine. A couple of putts finally went in and I hung in there.

Q. You had a good finish at Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago, did you carry anything forward from that?

TODD FISCHER: Yes, I have been playing getting here. Made 3 cuts in a row, when I missed 3 cuts before that, I did finish the top-10 in FBR. So I knew the signs were getting good and making 3 cuts and just kind of keep playing golf. Like I said, I was getting better and I hit really, really well this week. A couple of errant shots that I wish I could have back. But for the most part I'm very happy with this week. I feel like I can take home what I worked on myself this week, a good rhythm with my golf swing. I drove it really well and to carry on that for the rest of the year.

Q. Talk about the chip on 17, the one that lipped out.

TODD FISCHER: Yes. You know, I was -- that hole played short, the shots played short coming in every day, and I was 125 to that pin. I could hit my 54 degree wedge about 115 yards, where the wind has been and everything. I'm 125 and I hit that and that's pushing it for me. I knew I needed to make a good swing and get that over the water. And right at the top, it shouldn't affect me but I got it going in the hole. Someone was talking across the pond talking about the shot on the 15th hole. It was so quiet at the time that I heard that. I pulled the shot left.

So I got up there, and I was just -- I felt good over the chip and I even told my caddy, I said I'm making this. I did the best I could. It looked like it was going in for my par.

TODD BUDNICK: We will just go through your round, Todd. Start with a birdie on No. 3.

TODD FISCHER: I drove it in the left fairway bunker and hit -- 140ish and hit a 7-iron about eight feet, I guess.

TODD BUDNICK: And then No. 10.

TODD FISCHER: 10, I hit 3-wood, 6-iron to the back fringe and I probably had three or four feet of fringe to go through and, you know, like I said, my putting, I didn't know how hard to hit it through there so I ended up chipping it and knocked it right in. It was a fairly straight forward chip. It was only about ten feet.

TODD BUDNICK: 11.

TODD FISCHER: 11, I hit wedge to about 3 feet short of the hole.

TODD BUDNICK: 13.

TODD FISCHER: 13, I hit the fairway and had 228 in, I tried to hit a high 5-wood. I pulled it just a tad left and about a green high, chipped it up about three feet and made that, four feet.

TODD BUDNICK: The bogey on 14.

TODD FISCHER: The bogey on 14, drove it right in the middle of the fairway. I thought I had to get it. I was 151 into the breeze downhill and I thought I had to hit a good 8-iron and a low one, and for me to hit the low one those misses I have been having this year, the pulled hooks, and I trapped the ball a little bit and I got that hook spin on it and it went way left. I was not in a very good spot after that.

TODD BUDNICK: You came back with a birdie on 15.

TODD FISCHER: Yes, I hit a 3-wood to the left of the green, chipped it up. I didn't have a particularly good lie. I was worrying about fluffing it or sculling it long. Because it was sitting down a little bit. I hit a pretty good chip. It came out with a little overspin, hit the fringe, bounced and rolled by about 12, 15 feet and made the downhiller coming back.

TODD BUDNICK: 16.

TODD FISCHER: 16, Brian Henninger was up first and hit a 7-iron. I think we were pretty close in distance all day. So I took a 7-iron out as well and hit a good shot about two or three feet short of the hole there.

TODD BUDNICK: You have to be very happy with the finish, the final round of a tournament, your best finish on TOUR right now. You put in, what, five birdies and a bogey down the back stretch and a 65.

TODD FISCHER: You know, just the fact that I could stay in contention. I had 7 balls in my golf bag today. I know I was playing well but how long can I fight off those lefts, and I asked my caddy, do I have enough to make it through the round because I know there is water on a few of those holes. This golf course, obviously I scored well today, if you hit it just a little bit off you can make some numbers out there. I'm excited for the way I finished this week. I want to keep it going.

TODD BUDNICK: Okay. Thank you, Todd.

End of FastScripts....