BUICK OPEN

August 10, 2001

Jim Furyk

JIM FURYK: Well, it was a good solid round. Obviously not as good as yesterday and I think the difference probably was I drove the ball just as well today but didn't really quite hit as many crisp iron shots and yesterday I just gave myself so many opportunities and today I didn't play poorly, but I didn't give myself as many opportunities and therefore, that was little bit of the difference didn't make quite as many putts and didn't give myself many birdie opportunities, though a good solid round, something to build on. I have myself in good position for the weekend.

JIM FURYK: Yeah, but I think if you are kind of like -- if you are trying to get the ball in the fairway, if you are just trying to hit the fairway, normally we are trying to hit it to a certain spot in the fairway, make it a little bit bitter and right now if I just -- I am not just trying to make the Top-10, that would be nice, but I came here to win a golf tournament and try to contend and it's a humbling game because it's tough to do that on a regular basis. But the goal is still the same, I am trying to come here and put myself in position, give myself a chance to win the tournament. If I go ahead and finish in the Top-10 that would be great. But heck of a lot nicer to give myself a shot to win.

JIM FURYK: Maybe a smidge softer with the fairways but still they are very firm and drying out as the day was going on. The greens started picking up some brown spots out there. But they are still holding quite well and the golf course is still relatively firm and fast. It wasn't a heck of a lot different for us, I am sure maybe -- I heard it didn't rain all that much here last night and it didn't seem to be but I am sure there was a little bit of moisture for the guys in the morning, but it -- really the conditions were still very, very good. And again, the scores were a couple of 63s, I heard, scores were still low and the conditions are very good.

JIM FURYK: Nothing has changed for me as far as in the last two, two and a half years nothing has changed for me really. I guess my equipment - trying to think of when -- it has been over two years since I switched the irons. Just as long since I have switched caddies. It's been -- trying to think when that was -- Mike has been with me for three Masters. So it has been almost three years, or about three years. Nothing's really changed. My swing hasn't changed. My dad is still my coach. I think a lot of that runs in cycles. I am a much better player now than I was three years ago, but I have a lot more confidence in my game and my ball-striking ability all my physical skills, I have a lot more confidence in than I did then. But I think a lot of that runs in cycles. I had myself -- I played a good Masters this year, had myself in good position going into Sunday, U.S. Open; and had a series of mostly my mistakes, made some bad mistakes just got on a bad train and shot a round in the 80s and blew myself out of it. And went to the British Open this year, didn't play well, and missed my second cut in about 20 some majors. So I think you know, I still played very, very well in The Masters this year, and I haven't been -- you are right, I was on a roll but I don't think that -- I don't think you can sustain that. You can't expect yourself to finish in the Top-10 three out of four majors every year. Maybe unless you are Tiger.

JIM FURYK: Yeah, absolutely. I think we all live and I do especially that it's no fun teeing off in 50th spot on Sunday and not feeling nervous and really the round doesn't mean all that much. If you play your heart out and finished 40th or you don't play that well and finish 45th, that's not all that exciting, but a chance to win the golf tournament and in the hunt and feel those jitters, that's what we all dreamed about as a kid, practice long hours, that's why we work so hard. Absolutely. Also nice to have a conversation change away from the Ryder Cup and my wrist, so I appreciate it.

JIM FURYK: I have never seen a sports psychologist in my entire career. I really can't tell you why. I am comfortable with what I am doing on the golf course and really a lot of it is confidence builds upon itself. When you are playing real well and you play 3, 4 good weeks in a row, I mean, there's nothing in your mind that's too negative, and there's no reason to believe that you are not going to play well again. That being said, it can't last forever. It's kind of -- the game's a weird game, when you are playing poorly it feels like you are never going to climb out; when you are playing great, you are thinking: I am never going to lose it. Seems so easy. A lot of that -- you are right is confidence getting over the bottle and believing in yourself and believing, you know, not thinking about anything negative; about everything positive that you can do in that next shot. A lot of that, it kind of comes slowly. If you are playing poorly, you have to kind of take one step at a time and work on your game and get confidence over the course of a week, you get more confident; over the month you get more confident, kind of make it build on each other, and kind of coming into this week, that was a little bit of my goal - haven't played much last 5 weeks, played one tournament, the British Open, didn't play well. Two competitive rounds in 5 weeks looking at. I wanted to come in here and feel good about my game going into the PGA. Before the British I feel like I was hitting and putting pretty good. By the end of the day I shot 71 everyday. I was finishing 40th. I just wasn't getting the ball in the hole. I'd go out and have a day -- today I didn't hit the ball bad, but didn't hit it great, but when I had a chance to get it up-and-down and make some birdies I converted it and I turned a mediocre day into a 69 and still have myself in the hunt for the tournament. I think those are the things you do. So happy my game is going pretty well and so far I feel pretty confident about my game. That's all I wanted to do, get ready for next week and come here and have a good solid tournament. So far that's going pretty well.

JIM FURYK: I don't think -- I think you have to be -- I have a certain game plan in how I want to play this golf course and attack it and if, you know, if there's a shot tucked behind the water or at the bunker and I have got 3-iron in my hand, probably not real wise decision no matter how good I am swinging at it to take it right at the pin. I think there's aggressive and stupid. Sometimes there's a really thin line between the two of them. I like to play aggressively but I also, you know, I want to be patient. I want to pick and choose my spots and make some good decisions out there. So far I have done that and that's the reason I am having a good week.