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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP


June 19, 1998


Casey Martin


SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

LES UNGER: Casey, Day 2, made the cut. I take it you are enjoying this golf course.

CASEY MARTIN: Well, yeah, sure. It is a tough course, and I haven't exactly been hitting the fairways too much, so it has been a little frustrating for me. But I am doing -- for as poorly as I have hit it, I am doing all right.

LES UNGER: I had a chance to look at your professional record this year, and there has been courses that, I assume, are far less challenging than this one, and maybe you missed the cut or were lower down in the rankings. So are you rising to the challenge.

CASEY MARTIN: Maybe. I think I tend to play better on harder courses for some reason. And, I look forward to the challenge coming out here at the U.S. Open and playing. It is working out all right now. Just will have to hit a few more fairways next two days if I want to continue to play well.

LES UNGER: Take us through your round.

CASEY MARTIN: I started out all right. Birdied the first hole, then bogeyed the third. But made a few putts to hang in there, and ended up, I think, turning at 1-under. Although I didn't hit that many greens, I still 1-putted enough to stay right there. Then I kind of -- I have had some trouble on the stretch of 10, 11, 12. They are tough holes. I just haven't hit particularly good shots. In fact, I have hit very poor shots on those holes. I was really fortunate because I got good lies in the rough on occasion and was able to save par a few times. I actually was 1-under with two to play. Just for the second day in a row, bogeyed the last two holes, which is understandable on 17. But I have just played 18 really poorly. That is disappointing.

LES UNGER: How about the length of your birdie putts, if you don't mind.

CASEY MARTIN: The first hole was probably three feet. And the 7th hole was probably about seven feet.

LES UNGER: 13?

CASEY MARTIN: I don't think I birdied 13.

LES UNGER: 14.

CASEY MARTIN: 14 was probably ten or twelve feet. I really haven't made many long putts. I have just putted well inside ten feet.

LES UNGER: We will have questions, please.

Q. Could you talk about 16?

CASEY MARTIN: I think that was a birdie putt that I should have had, and also the second shot on 18, because that -- I guess that was -- on 16 I hit a good wedge in there to probably about seven, six -- seven, eight feet, something like that. And I thought it would break quite a bit to the right. I just pulled it a touch and it almost -- it just stayed left. Didn't break at all 'til the very end. I missed it. That was disappointing because, you know, it is not often you have that good of a look. But I still was feeling pretty good about my game. On 18 I hit a horrible shot off the tee in the rough and laid up short and then hit what I thought was a pretty good wedge, but that green is so severe I couldn't hold it.

Q. Does the hurt and the pain go away with the gallery's support?

CASEY MARTIN: Yeah, the gallery support has been unbelievable. The support I have received from everyone, it is just overwhelming, so it has been a great week that way.

Q. Considering all the attention you had coming in, do you feel you have proved anything this week and maybe even to yourself, have you proved anything?

CASEY MARTIN: I think in a way I have proved something to myself because I know I am not playing as well as I am capable of and yet I made the cut at the U.S. Open. So that gives me confidence knowing that I am supposed to be here. And, I think if I just keep playing well and keep improving I can be out here and really be a steady fixture. It is ways off. But it is definitely realistic.

Q. Do you think in a way because of what you have done you have made your situation less of a story and the golf becomes more of a story?

CASEY MARTIN: I don't know. That is kind of your business, I guess. You take the story and run with it, whatever way. I'd love to be known more as a golfer than a person with a disability. But, at the same time, I know that I am probably not going to lose that label, so....

Q. Do you have a goal coming in here and have you met it?

CASEY MARTIN: No. Not yet. I do have a goal but I am not there yet. My goal was not just to make the cut. I think I have played long enough professionally that that shouldn't be my goal. And it wasn't.

Q. Can you sum up what the last two days has meant for you?

CASEY MARTIN: First of all, just a great experience. The crowd support, just playing in the U.S. Open, period, it is a blast. I am having a great time and learning a lot about my game, knowing what I have to do to be able to compete out here consistently.

Q. What is your goal?

CASEY MARTIN: I will tell you later. Not right now.

LES UNGER: Is there a trophy in the picture?

CASEY MARTIN: I don't know.

Q. Was it easier coming out today after getting that first round over yesterday?

CASEY MARTIN: Yeah, actually it was. Because yesterday I was very nervous and only had about eight hours before my tee time to think about it. So it was -- I was glad yesterday I got over with and today was quite a bit easier.

Q. Casey, I think you used your driver a little more today, didn't you?

CASEY MARTIN: I have used it about the same. About four times - four, five times.

Q. Did you have a mindset of maybe being a little more aggressive coming out today?

CASEY MARTIN: Perhaps a little bit, but I have been hitting my driver poorly, so I am not trying to be too aggressive off the tee, just go for a few pins when they are there. But, it is hard to be too aggressive out here because you can just get destroyed if you mess up a little bit.

Q. I just heard recently somebody just got -- one of the players was hurt from a fan, got a paper cut on his finger. Have you had anything happen so far with the fans where you have felt like you have been in danger or anything?

CASEY MARTIN: No, not at all. I have had no problems. Except maybe tripping over a few kids here or there, but it has been great.

End of FastScripts....

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