	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

KEMPER INSURANCE OPEN

May 27, 2001

Frank Lickliter

POTOMAC, MARYLAND

Q. We would like to thank Frank Lickliter for joining us for a few minutes here. We are going to return tomorrow at 9 a.m. and play and Frank would be behind 10 green. Why don't we just quickly begin with questions. I think that would be the best way to start. I'm going to ask the obvious first question which is how frustrating is this? Three days of rain delays.

FRANK LICKLITER: That's where you just have to be patient. And you hear the thunder coming, you know it's just going to be a matter of minutes before they call another one. And you try not to hurry, you try not to rush yourself and just stay focused. Because you know what's coming, the thunder gets here about 10 minutes before they blow the horn.

Q. And as a follow-up, how does that affect your game?

FRANK LICKLITER: Well you try not to let it affect any part of your game. That's what I mentioned, that you try not to rush, you stay patient and stay focused.

Q. Do you feel like maybe you're going to have to earn this one the hard way this week?

FRANK LICKLITER: Well I haven't won one yet, so right now it's all hard. I'm just trying to play as solid as I can. I'm driving the ball extremely solidly. I feel like I'm rolling the ball pretty good. I'm going to come out tomorrow and keep doing what I was doing. Which is driving in the fairway and hit it at the pin.

Q. Frank, aside from all the stopping and starting, how are the conditions affecting play?

FRANK LICKLITER: It's very wet. It is very sloppy. I've had a couple of drives that didn't go anywhere. It goes two feet when it hits. And you could see it splash. You can see it hit the water. Obviously, the greens are a little softer and that can be dangerous too. Like on 10 I was worried about that ball coming back in the creek with a little extra spin. And it's got its own set of problems.

Q. For the fans this week a lot of them have had a lot of traffic delays and all sorts of other things. Have you guys had it smooth or has it been a pain for you off the course also?

FRANK LICKLITER: It's a little tight getting in here. We got one road in and out of here. But actually I think that they have done a very good job this year. I think it's better than last year and the year before. So it's awesome that we have this many people out.

Q. Given the situation it seems like it's a two man race. Do you look at it, do you have more opportunities or do you look at it that he has fewer holes to play? In the sense that, is it harder for the guy who has more holes or fewer holes?

FRANK LICKLITER: I haven't looked at the leaderboard yet.

Q. You're tied at the top.

FRANK LICKLITER: There's a lot of golf left for me. I'm not particularly worried about what anyone else is doing. That's not going to affect how I play.

Q. Having come really close earlier this year how does that experience in a playoff earlier affect the way you play possibly tomorrow? Do you think about that at all?

FRANK LICKLITER: I'd like to play well enough not to be in a playoff. So if it happens I think I'll be a lot more prepared than I was the first time I was in a playoff.

Q. Frank, as you come down to the end here, where would you rather be, tied with a guy like Phil Mickelson or tied with J. J. Henry who is ranked 170 out of 178?

FRANK LICKLITER: I'm just happy to be tied for the lead right now. Does that answer your question?

Q. I'm sure you answered this question a hundred times in San Diego. Did you ever consider hitting 4-iron there?

FRANK LICKLITER: No. Not once. Not one iota.

Q. What was the reason behind that?

FRANK LICKLITER: Well, I played that hole in 4-under the first three rounds by hitting driver. So I hit almost all my fairways that I pull driver out on. So why not use it there. I would much rather hit sand wedge into that Par-4 than 6-iron. Especially with where that pin was.

Q. You mentioned the number of fans out here being awesome. Washington having not a real hot golf community, were you a little surprised? Would you come to a golf tournament in these conditions?

FRANK LICKLITER: No, I haven't thought of that. I wouldn't come to watch, but I would come to play in conditions like this. I'm happy with the amount of people that we have out here. I got several good friends here too, so it's neat. It's kind of hard for them though trying to scramble for a spot next to the ropes.

Q. With 27 holes in the book today was there any fatigue going into those last couple holes as far as walking through this?

FRANK LICKLITER: I definitely tried not to think about that. Playing 36 holes in one day is hard enough. Then when you get conditions like this where it's just really sloppy out there and it's hard walking. And that's why I was just trying to stay focused on what I was doing, which was one shot at a time and trying to dodge the big mud puddles.

Q. On the 10th hole to the third round, which seemed like it happened Thursday, did you fall in the creek or step in the creek?

FRANK LICKLITER: Just my heels. But I was already wet there anyway, so it didn't matter.

Q. Now that you know where you stand, will you be doing any leaderboard watching tomorrow now that you know where you stand?

FRANK LICKLITER: No. I'm really happy with the way I've played this week. And I just want to maintain that tomorrow. If I do that, I think I'll be happy tomorrow. No matter what happens.

Q. When you play so many holes today and there have been so many stoppages during the week do you wonder at all about things like what my back is going to feel like tomorrow morning?

FRANK LICKLITER: No. I actually feel pretty good right now physically. And I stretch very well before I tee off.

Q. What were your plans before today, what were your plans going into tonight and now what are your plans going to be for this evening?

FRANK LICKLITER: My plans before this was to celebrate. And then I've got a friend here with a private jet. And we were going to go to Dublin, Ohio. And now I'm thinking about a very good dinner at Ruths Chris.

Q. There's a possibility that a tornado is headed this way.

FRANK LICKLITER: All right. Interview's over.

End of FastScripts....

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297