NEC WORLD SERIES OF GOLF

August 24, 1996

Billy Mayfair

BILLY MAYFAIR: Oh, I am?

BILLY MAYFAIR: Oh, I am? Okay. Well, didn't know that.

BILLY MAYFAIR: It was a long day out there. Had to play 34 holes today. But it was enjoyable in the sense that the weather was nice. It was in two-somes, so we moved around pretty fast, so it is -- really didn't seem all that bad out there. I seemed to play really in spurts today. Started out both rounds - started off really good; then in the middle kind of hit some shakey shots here and there and finished really good second round. I birdied 15 and 16, to get it back; then today I birdied, you know, 15 and I mean, 16 and should have birdied 17 coming in, but, you know, overall I am playing really good; hitting the ball good, and biggest thing is I am putting good, so if I can keep doing that, I think I have a very good chance of winning tomorrow.

BILLY MAYFAIR: The first hole today, I hit 7-iron in from about 155 yards, hit it in there about twelve feet below the hole and made that; rolled that one in for birdie. Then on 8, probably put the worst swing -- I hit 5-iron in from about 190 yards into the wind; tried to keep it down low and made the wind and just left it out to the right in one of these bunkers. Happened to hit it in the bunker. The bunker had no sand. Some bunkers have a lot of sand. Some have no sand. Mine didn't have sand; didn't get it up and down. 11, oh, I hit a wedge in on number 11 from about 110 yards. Rolled in about a 25 footer there for birdie. Then on 12, I hit 8-iron to the right of the green in the bunker. Just blocked it out a little bit. Missed that and didn't get that up-and-down. Then 13, blocked another one off the tee into the right trees and hit the tree and came down and knocked it on the green and 2-putted for 5.

BILLY MAYFAIR: 16. I - 16 was probably long today. I hit driver, 2-iron, 9-iron into there to about eight feet from the hole, made that for birdie.

BILLY MAYFAIR: 17 was downwind. I hit a good 2-iron in the middle of the fairway; 8-iron in there about six feet; it was a straight in putt, and I pushed it. Just missed it on the low side and made par.

BILLY MAYFAIR: What happened to your Buffalo Bills hat?

BILLY MAYFAIR: That is Firestone. I mean, that is just, you know, the golf course kind of came -- the wind came up this afternoon and the teeth came on. I mean, if you look at the scores, I mean, those pluses just keep kind of rising up on the board. You are going to have to scramble out there. It is just too hard of a golf course to be hitting every green, and not scrambling, and you are not going to make a whole bunch of birdies. You got to take advantage on the birdie holes that you have and make some good pars on the harder holes.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Absolutely. Golf course is playing very different. Perfect example of that would be 6, the par 3, first day I hit 6-iron and it flew to the back of the green. Today I had to hit 3-iron to the back of the green. That is just how different the golf course can play out there.

BILLY MAYFAIR: My saves were on 4. I hit it just to the right of the green, chipped up and made about an 8-footer. 7 I hit -- excuse me, 6 I hit it right of the green; chipped up about six feet from the hole and made that. And then on 8 -- well, 8 I didn't get it up-and-down and 9 I missed the green to the right and chipped it up there from foot from the hole and made that for par. That is Firestone. That is -- you are going to hit some bad shots out there; you got it try to put yourself in position to save yourself.

BILLY MAYFAIR: No, actually I hit it left; hit the tree. I had to lay-up and knocked it on the green and 2-putted there for 5. But you know, that hole is playing like a par four today because it was straight down wind.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Yeah.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I hope not. Even though I haven't been in the last group all year, I mean, I felt good today playing. I enjoyed playing with Phil. It should be a lot of fun. I mean, Phil and I kid each other all the time about getting in the last group sometime and we finally have - if we are playing together.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Okay, I don't think it would be a problem at all, I really don't. It is just -- I am playing good I am hitting the ball good, and I am not even going to be worrying about being in the last group.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Yeah, it is possible. I mean, if you get off to a good start because you have 1, 2, 4 downwind, but you know, if we don't get anymore rain and the wind blows tomorrow morning before we get out here, it is going to be hard. Real difficult; especially when you have 15, 16 and 18, into the wind and 13, so you are going to have some tough finishing holes.

BILLY MAYFAIR: We have the same manager; went to the same school. Our wives are real good friends. You know, Phil and I are real good friends and we always kid each other, we might as well be in the last group together, that type of thing, just friendly kidding.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Tour Championship last year.

BILLY MAYFAIR: If you hit as good as Phil, no. I don't think there is -- you know, I don't think there is any advantage if you are lefthanded or righthanded on this golf course.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Yeah, pretty much. We went to the same school. We didn't go -- we didn't play on the same team together, but like I'd say my wife, Tammy and Phil's fiancee, Amy, have become real good friends. Our friendship has grown from that. We go to Suns' games. Go to dinner a lot. That type of thing.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Phil is going to be married soon.

BILLY MAYFAIR: And he even invited me. Could you believe that?

BILLY MAYFAIR: I can't believe that.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I am not going to be thinking about it. I am not going to be trying to think about it. I am thrilled to death with the position I am in. Like I said, it's the first time I have been in the last group for a long time, but -- it was disappointing not winning here last year, but I think it -- kind of winning the Tour Championship helped that ease the pain a little bit, but I would love to come back out tomorrow and play well enough to win. But I want to win just to win; not to try to get back from last year.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Well, actually, Firestone right now is a little bit wetter. The fairways are not running as much. The greens are little bit slower, but if the wind dries everything out, it could be a lot like Southern Hills. You don't have quite the elevation drops here as you do there, but like I said, it not that much different, no. It is tight. You got to drive the ball well here. The rough wasn't that high at Southern Hills for THE TOUR Championship as it was here. It is a little bit higher here, so..... If you hit it in the rough you are going to be thinking; you got to think your way out of there.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Absolutely. It sure would.