WORLDCOM CLASSIC--THE HERITAGE OF GOLF

April 12, 2001

Billy Mayfair

BILLY MAYFAIR: I am real excited about the way I played, the way I went out. I bogeyed the first hole -- real good drive down the middle of the fairway, kind of pull-hooked a 7-iron from about 170 yards and didn't get that one up and down, so I didn't get off to the best start. But on 11 I hit a good little 5-iron in there from about 180 yards, about six feet from the hole. I made that so it kind of got me back going, and pretty much the rest of the day I really played good. I drove it very well. I had good looks at the hole -- didn't really have to maneuver the ball around trees too much from the fairways, and I really putted well today. I don't know how many putts I had today, but not only did I putt well, but the speed of my putts were really good. I was real happy with that.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I think so. With it not being a full field I think there is what, 130 players?

BILLY MAYFAIR: 132 players is going to help a little bit, but there is so much grass on the greens that for us in the afternoon, I think we had, probably compared to other years in the afternoon, where you get there Friday or Thursday afternoon, you are putting on dirt some afternoons. And they have a lot more grass on them and they are a lot better for Thursday and Friday for the afternoon guys. After you make the cut I think they will be in perfect shape so I think they will hold up pretty good.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Absolutely. But it is a long way to go.

BILLY MAYFAIR: No, not really. I think the weather has a lot to do with that. I think the guys in the morning had very little wind and the golf course was pretty receptable this afternoon even though it was getting firmer and little more wind, it was still playable out there. So you didn't have a big spurt between morning and afternoon guys, and it doesn't surprise me, I think that is just a real credit to how good the golf course is right now.

BILLY MAYFAIR: There is a few changes out there. I think they are all good changes. Last year when I heard Pete Dye was going to come back in and redo the golf course I got nervous. This is my favorite golf course on the PGA TOUR. I love it here. I love this golf course. I got a little nervous. Obviously I was afraid that I would get here and see some elephants buried in the greens. He actually went out and smoothed some of the greens, made them bigger. He cleaned everything around the greens and the whole golf course seems to be cleaned up a lot better. I think it's wonderful job they did. I am real happy about that.

BILLY MAYFAIR: It suits my game good. You have got to drive the ball well here. Small greens, length isn't as important as maybe as Augusta National. Always when you play Augusta National you came here the next week, it was so night and day, just kind of fun, and going from those big fast whirly greens to these very small fairly flat greens here, and it is really target shoot. On the last hole I hit 5-iron off the tee so I could hit full wedge into the green instead of trying to bust driver out there on every one of the holes. It is a finesse type of golf course that we don't see anymore on the Tour.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I don't know about technology. Obviously the golf ball has gotten so bad, but I think it makes the player think a little bit more. Maybe he has to hit 5-iron or 3-wood off the tee. No. 4 today the pin was left edge of the green. I didn't even think about firing at that pin. I was trying to hit it on the right-hand side of the green. I did that, 2-putted, made my par, got out of there. You really got to think around here; plus with the wind blowing it is tricky out there.