CHRYSLER CLASSIC OF GREENSBORO

October 17, 2003

Shigeki Maruyama

TODD BUDNICK: Rounds of 65, 64 gives you a 5-stroke lead heading into tomorrow. Talk about the first two days. Not much difference today than yesterday for you.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I played as good as yesterday. Driving accuracy was not as good as yesterday. The ball hanging on the first cut, it's still in the fairway. It was easy to hit the ball, especially the putting. I made a lot of putts.

TODD BUDNICK: Is that as well as you've played for the first two rounds on the U.S. Tour?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: The first time, actually, playing that well.

Q. How do you feel about your nickname, The Smiling Assassin?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I'm pleased to have that nickname. I'm not as dangerous as an assassin.

Q. Is this as good a two rounds as you have had anywhere in the world?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: In the Japanese Tour, I had the same kind of game. I led a tournament from the first day, but in the PGA Tour it's really tough to lead. I'm really happy to be the leader in the first two days.

Q. A lot of the other golfers had a tough time today with the wind swirling around. How were you able to hold it together and have a great round?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: The wind didn't actually bother my game today. The morning should be more windy. I tried to put the ball in a safe area and tried to avoid a dangerous place and played good golf. I'm leading five shots now, but who's coming from behind in the PGA Tour, everybody can hit 61, 62. I'm not thinking about a 5-shot lead now. I'm trying to get a score in the 60s in the next two days, 3-under, 3-under brings me to the lead again.

Q. Why are you playing so well?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I was struggling with my golf since March this year, for five or six months, and lost a lot of weight. I changed to a lighter club, a lighter shaft, actually. Tiger Woods, big players, they are using the same shaft as I used to use, so I got a lighter shaft for my swing. Also my swing coach in Japan now, he came here four or five weeks ago at John Deere -- 84 Lumber tournament and he gave me good advice at that time.

Q. The fact that you've won each of the last two years on Tour over here, does that help you into the weekend with confidence?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I don't know. I have that experience, that kind of situation, so hopefully it brings confidence and it comes into the weekend also.

Q. What do you say in English to your American fans? What message do you have?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: It's hard to express myself.

Q. To finish the round like you did, getting the shot in on that last hole, how does that make you feel?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I knew I was leading the tournament, so I'm trying to get one more stroke lead for tomorrow. And I was happy, excited, when I finished the round.

TODD BUDNICK: Let's go through your holes.

o. 13.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: No. 13, tee shot driver, left side rough, second shot 3-iron, 53-degree wedge, nine feet.

No. 14, driver, left side first cut, 9-iron, about nine feet.

No. 15, driver, fairway, lay-up 5-iron, sand wedge, one foot.

No. 16, driver, fairway, 4-iron, six feet.

18, tee shot 3-wood, left side bunker, second shot 8-iron, left side fringe, chip shot like this, missed putt, three feet.

No. 1, tee shot driver, fairway, second shot sand wedge, 9 feet -- no, 10 feet.

No. 2, tee shot driver in the fairway, second shot 3-wood, left side fringe, chip shot, one foot.

No. 5, tee shot 3-wood, fairway, second shot sand wedge, three feet.

No. 7, 3-iron in the left side bunker, pitching wedge, four feet.

No. 9, tee shot driver, left side bunker, second shot 6-iron lay-up, third shot 53-degree wedge, one foot and a half.

End of FastScripts.