THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND MICHELOB

October 28, 1997

Justin Leonard

JUSTIN LEONARD: This is a good golf course. It's long, and, you know, it's large greens for the most part. But they're kind of divided into, you know, different sections. So it's in great shape. The greens are really good. I mean, this is some of the best Bermuda grass I've seen. I played here in the U.S. Amateur '93, and, you know, it's a different time of year. Then the course was a little faster in the beginning of the week. Then we had some rain, and it softened up a little bit. But the course is in great shape, and it's just basically right there in front of you. There aren't really any tricks to it. You just have to go out there and hit a lot of good tee shots and a lot of good 4-, 5- and 6-irons it seems were the clubs I hit all day today, and, you know, just be patient with the greens.

JUSTIN LEONARD: That's not my motivation this week. I want to come here and play well because it's the last tournament of the year. You know, being somewhat close to home, I've got a lot of friends and family that are going to be here. You know, it would just be a great way to cap off a good year. You know, if it happens to where I'm playing well and around the lead on the weekend, then I'll probably start thinking about it a little more. But right now, I just want to go out and play solid and hopefully play the way I've been playing the last few months.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think it really started around the Kemper Open when I won there. And then I played well -- didn't play too well at the U.S. Open. But, you know, had a couple good tournaments at the Western Open and in Memphis. And then, you know, obviously at the British, I felt pretty good about things. And, you know, then gained a little more confidence in the PGA. So it's kind of been snowballing, and I felt like I played pretty good at the Ryder Cup. Obviously we've been through all of that, so we won't rehash it. But, you know, so I feel like my confidence level has gone up. My expectations have gone up a little bit. And what I expect of myself under certain kinds of certain situations. And, you know, it's a lot of fun. I've learned quite a bit this year about myself and about, you know, how I handle things on the golf course and what works and what doesn't. And so hopefully I can just apply what I'm learning each week.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think it's great. I saw that on Saturday and was really excited. And, you know, it's a two-year process, and so it's -- you know, it will be very special for the guys that make that team to get to play for a guy like that.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, I don't know if I could really answer that because I've only been around one Ryder Cup captain and played on one team. So I don't know if I'm very good judge of that. I think Ben puts his heart into everything. And so, you know, it should be an emotionally charged up week. And I think, you know, he'll be a real bonus for the PGA of America and for the U.S. team.

JUSTIN LEONARD: When I was growing up?

JUSTIN LEONARD: No. We were -- we were thinking more about I'm trying to beat Jason Foster, and I mean, the guys at my home course. I wasn't --

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, exactly.

JUSTIN LEONARD: No. There is, but when I was growing up, you know, there were so many good players in Dallas, that, you know, had plenty to keep my attention there.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think it's right up there with every player's goal at the beginning of this year. You know, you see -- especially in September, October, you see guys trying to play and get into this event because it's -- you know, obviously the purse is huge, but just being a part of an elite field like this and being able to play a great golf course are two big bonuses. And, you know, all the guys that are here had great years, and it's a good way to end the year and go into the off-season being able to play here.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, I think, you know, different players look at different things. I try to go to places where I feel very comfortable with the golf courses, and, you know, just areas that I enjoy. You know, if there's a place that I don't really care about playing, if they're offering three or four million dollars, I'm still not going to go there. So, you know, I think -- I think it is going to help with the field there in Dallas, and they've always got pretty good fields, and I think the golf course there has matured. You know, we've had good weather the last couple of years. And, you know, plus Dallas is a pretty fun place to be. So I think they're doing the right things in putting that money into the purses.

JUSTIN LEONARD: You know, I think being kind of a younger player myself, you know, maybe the kids can relate a little more. You know, I've been pretty involved with some of the junior golf at my home club. I'm about to get involved with the tournament of the AJGA and, you know, I don't know. Sometimes I don't quite understand it, but I mean, I really enjoy it, and, you know, if there's two people standing there for an autograph and I only have time for one, I'm going to sign the little kid's because he's the one who's going to get excited about it and who's going to hopefully get involved in the game of golf. So it is a lot of fun to see so many kids out here. I wonder what the school -- the classrooms must be empty this week, because I mean, there are so many kids out here. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of coughing when they get back next week.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I'm just going to be a little more involved with the tournament they have in Dallas.

JUSTIN LEONARD: No, I don't think it's really a trend. I think it's coincidental. I mean, I think on the PGA Tour, age is not that big of an issue. It's about, you know, obviously there's experience, but I mean, now you've got a guy like Ernie Els who's 27 years old. I mean, there aren't many guys who have more experience than he does. He's played all over the world in all kinds of conditions, and he's been doing it since he was 20 or 21 years old. So I don't think age is as big a issue. I don't think this is any kind of trend. I think you're just seeing some really good young players that have a lot of experience. And, you know, I mean, last year the average age of the major winners was 37. Is that correct? Somewhere in there. You know, so I don't see it as being a big trend.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I'm playing the Grand Slam in about three weeks, and then I'm going to South Africa the first week of December, and then the Diners Club in Palm Springs.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, I mean, I -- this year, I could have played every week. But, you know, my season is from January until this week, and I tried to -- you know, obviously I want to get out and get a little bit of exposure in other areas. You know, but the tournament in Hawaii, that should be kind of a fun deal. I mean, four guys and, you know, nice hotel and all that stuff and being in Hawaii. And then the trip to South Africa, I mean, it's a haul getting over there, but I understand once you're there, it's just immaculate. The tournament there really looks after the players. The Diners Club Matches, I've played the last two years. Last year, I played Mike Hulbert. We had a great time, and, you know, we go fishing every day when we're done. So, these are fun events that I want to play in. You know, I don't want to go out and take two months off because then I'm not worth anything for the first couple months of the season. So I'm trying to, you know, stay rested and go places where I can have some fun. And, you know, I've never been to South Africa before, so it should be a great experience.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, it's been interesting. We've had some different kinds of offers. You know, a couple of my contracts are up this year, and so we're in the middle of a lot of things. I'm not paying too much attention to that until next week.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Oh, no, not really bizarre, but just a lot of different things that I never really thought about. You know, and I don't want to spread myself around too much or too thin to where I didn't feel like I could do the companies a good job. But I'm really happy with the relationships that I have now, and, you know, we'll just have to wait and see how things unfold the next couple months.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think he's had a very positive impact. He's brought a lot of attention to the Tour. It's great timing on his part with the new television contracts that the PGA Tour negotiated. He's going to raise, you know, raise the level of play. I think he's going to help open up some of the corporations that have maybe shied away from golf a little bit. They're seeing the amount of exposure that players get. And I mean, it's great for the game of golf the people he's bringing into it and the opportunities that he's given, you know, not only junior and amateur golfers, but also professionals.

JUSTIN LEONARD: You know, I got to know him quite a bit better during the Ryder Cup, and I think a lot of guys did. So I think that was a great experience for him and for the rest of us to see him on a more casual level and so, you know, we -- I think that, you know, he's absolutely correct, that he's probably more one of the guys now than he was in the beginning of the year. And, you know, he certainly -- you know, I would have said we were friends before that, you know, but not knowing him all that well. But I think I've got a much better sense of where he comes from now, and, you know, look forward to getting together and playing and then doing things off the golf course.

JUSTIN LEONARD: It hasn't been done in a while, so -- there have been some pretty good players come through this Tour. I don't know. Everybody has their own goals and, you know, I don't think I should question those goals. I don't think you should question those goals. If that's one of his goals, let him go after it. I'm not going to sit here and tell him he can't do it.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, it's one of your goals for him, so you can say -- tell him he's going to win this and that and whatever, and, you know.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, exactly. I mean, I think last week, they asked me after I got drilled in the semifinals at the Dunhill Cup when Joakim Haeggman shot 27 on the front 9, he said -- somebody told me that he'd said that now he thinks it's possible to go out and shoot 54 on 18 holes. I mean, until he does it, you know, let me see it. So, you know, you can talk about things all you want, until you go out and do them. And I mean, you know, I don't know if that's his goal or not, but he thinks it's possible and, you know, I think that's great.

JUSTIN LEONARD: No, not really. Just, you know, getting to know him on a more personal level.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I didn't try to do anything differently than I would in any other tournament. I mean, it feels more -- you know, it's obviously closer to feeling like a major than anything else, but it's also very different. The format, you know, sometimes you don't know when you're teeing off until 20 minutes beforehand, you know, and being thrown in with different parings and partners and things like that. So it has a very different feel, and people ask me to compare, and I can't do it because it is so different.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Exactly. And there's a white ball involved. That's really -- you know, and compare the pressure between the two, and it's just a very different feeling. And so I don't think you do either justice by trying to compare the two. Oh, thanks. Now I get to walk back in the rain. Appreciate it.