ADVIL WESTERN OPEN

July 5, 2001

David Toms

DAVID TOMS: Well, I really didn't hit the ball very well today. A little rusty after two weeks off, and just getting back into it. Drove it in the rough a couple of times. I think I only hit 11 greens which you know, shoot 5-under hitting 11 greens, you have kind of got up-and-down a bunch. That's what I did, just hung in there. Obviously it was just a so-so round until the last five holes. I birdied 4 out of the last 5. Made for a good day.

DAVID TOMS: Well, I was just hanging in there because I was struggling a little bit off the tee. Wasn't hitting my irons very solid just hanging in there. It is a tough golf course if you are not playing well and all of a sudden hit a good shot into 14 made birdie hit the green in two on 15. Made birdie. Then hit a wedge into 17, made birdie. Then chipped in on 18. Capped it off nicely there. I played the par 5s good all day. I guess I birdied 3 out of the 4 of them. Didn't birdie No. 1 I hit a bad tee shot. That held me in there pretty good. My bunker play was good today. I got up-and-down 4 out of 5 times out of bunkers, which right now that's my weakest stat. But had a good day out of the bunkers there.

DAVID TOMS: Late in the day the greens were firming up but as far as yesterday and probably early today, the greens are receptive after that rain we had, I guess on Tuesday. That's the biggest difference. When you play here and you get some windy conditions and the greens are firm it makes it tough to get close to the hole. Then the greens have some slope to them. So it makes for, you know, some tough 2-putts sometimes. But with the greens being receptive you can go ahead and if you get the ball in the fairway off the tee, which I guess that's every week, but here, especially if you can get it in the fairway you can go ahead and shot at a few of the pins.

DAVID TOMS: Today it played a little downwind, so it wasn't too bad. In fact I hit driver, 9-iron to 13 today. I hit one down the left side, got a nice bounce and hit a 9-iron to it. But you get that hole into the wind with that new tee box and that back pin and you are liable to have to hit a wood in there. That's a tough green to be hitting with a wood. We will just see how the conditions hold up. Maybe if it gets into the wind maybe they will use the up-tee - that's what I am hoping. But, I don't know, No. 18 added a little yardage there. Makes it -- I think unless it's into the wind, if there's no wind blowing it is a little bit easier tee shot, it's just a longer hole because before you were in between driver maybe 3-wood because you could hit it through the fairway. But now you can go ahead and hit your driver it will stay short of the rough on the left side. But you get -- also if you get that hole into the wind it will be pretty difficult.

DAVID TOMS: Not really. I am the type of player I hang in there when things aren't go well, I am still fighting, all of a sudden I came through it. Hit a good shot there on 14, then backed it up with two good shots on 15 and 2-putt for birdie; all of a sudden I am 3-under. Then you know, with a chip-in on 18 nice wedge on 17, boom, there it is. I don't know, I mean, wasn't like I was, you know, just down in the dumps or anything. I just was a little bit off. I shot 7-under yesterday in the pro-am and hit every shot perfect; missed a couple of short putts but today I just came out and just wasn't quite as solid, just I think a little bit rusty.

DAVID TOMS: Just off the front right there. It wasn't an easy chip, but it wasn't too difficult. Just pushed my 7-iron a little to the right of the green. I was underneath the hole. I was probably only eight feet off the green and 30 feet from the hole. Made a nice chip.

DAVID TOMS: Well, it was somewhat of a struggle. Any time you shoot a good score like that you have got to feel pretty good. So I think if I can get my tee ball a little bit better tomorrow and set myself up I think I can shoot another low round.

DAVID TOMS: Oh, yeah, I got everything out of this round today for sure. We will see. Tomorrow is a new day. Hopefully if I can, like I said, get the tee ball straightened out a little bit -- you can be more aggressive, you know, and feel better about each hole, if you can get the ball in the fairway consistently.