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SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY KITCHENAID

May 20, 2015

Frank Esposito

FRENCH LICK, INDIANA

BOB DENNEY: Good morning, I'm Bob Denney, Historian for the PGA of America. When you talk about a week like this, a walk with history, it's special to be joined today by Frank Esposito, Junior, who wrote his own special chapter in history last fall. In fact, no one in the club professional ranks did what he did in a shorter period of time. In November of 2014, at PGA Golf Club, Frank finished 16-under par to win the Senior PGA Professional National Championship. And just a few days later he went over to the Champions Tour qualifying school and finished 11-under. So 27-under in a short period of time like that. It's never been done. Frank, first of all, just welcome to the championship, and just your thoughts about the journey you've had to come here.

FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: Thanks, Bob. You say it like that, it feels like the way I've been playing this year feels like such a long time ago that in the fall. But it was a magical two weeks for me. It was actually life changing.

BOB DENNEY: Your ability to sort of move from the work that you've had at Brooklake Country Club and to the next level. That's a hard thing to do for a golfer.

FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: Yeah, as you know, when I returned about -- I'm sure, like everybody else, when I turned 45 I was thinking about the Champions Tour and I worked towards it, but having done it and looking back, I mean, it was surreal, it really was. But what helped was is the Senior CPC ended on Sunday and Q-School started on Tuesday, so I had really no time and just kind of worked into it. It was interesting.

BOB DENNEY: Just amazing journey. Frank, just talk now as one of 18 PGA club professionals to have played this golf course in 2010, you're in a special fraternity that does know this golf course, at least has been through it, understands the nuances of this course. Go through it and just your feelings about coming back to the Pete Dye course.

FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: I only played, I played in 2010, I really didn't remember it until I got here on Monday. When I saw it. But it's hard. It's a good one. It's going to be a good test. It's difficult, it's tight, it's Pete Dye. It will be an interesting test.

BOB DENNEY: Of those 18 alumni coming back to the field, the nines were reversed in 2010, just sort of speak of what you see now as you finish on a different nine.

FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: You know, I don't even remember, until someone told me that it was reversed. I don't even remember -- I don't even remember, like I said, I don't remember a lot of the holes. So until I got here this week. But no, I don't think it's any big deal that they reversed them.

BOB DENNEY: Are you familiar with some old Pete Dyes courses over the years that you played?

FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: I played, I played Whistling Straits, it kind of really resembles, reminds you of Whistling Straits. I played Teeth Of The Dog. Pete Dye is interesting.

BOB DENNEY: We have questions from the audience for Frank.

Q. Just going a little bit more on the course, what were some of the more memorable holes or maybe one of the more difficult holes.
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: More difficult holes? I mean you have, well now it's 14. 14? 14. No, 15. I'm sorry. 15. 15. The dogleg left with the little skinny green and the pin looks like it's sitting on top of a little, on top of a Volkswagen and you have to try to hit it. When we played here in 2010, the ball was running out. So it played a lot shorter. I played nine holes the other day on the back nine and you were hitting it nowhere near -- I remember I think on 15 I hit 9-iron or you're hitting 9-iron. Now you're hitting 6-iron. So it's going to play a little long. The par-5s are, if you look at last week at the Tradition with Sutherland, I think he played even on the 3s, even on the 4s and 14-under on the 5s, because you could reach them. Here, the way the course is, how soft it is, it's going to be a little difficult. I don't think you can reach too many of the par-5s.

Q. Can you go back and tell us about Port St. Lucie, about the massive putt you sank to win?
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: The last hole?

Q. Yeah.
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: You know, I had, I think I had a three shot lead going into the final round and I was playing with James Mason, who has played out here and done very well. So we were going along and I think on 17 I think he got it down to a two-shot lead or something like that. 18, I was coming down 18, we both parred and I think I had a three shot lead going to 18, so I was just looking for the middle of the green and that putt is straight down hill, straight down grain, towards the water. And I was just trying to lag it in and it goes in. I mean that's the kind of week it was.

Q. You said Pete Dye was interesting and rolled your eyes a little bit. What is the player consensus of this golf course. He loves to torment players, I'm sure you've had some conversations along that line already.
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: A few. You hear a few things. But it was interesting, as I was playing yesterday, and my instructor worked with Steve Elkington and Steve Elkington has worked with Pete Dye. So he said, the one thing that Elkington learned from Pete Dye was, is the worst spot on every hole that you think visually, that's where you want to hit it. And that's what Pete Dye does. He puts it -- that was interesting because then now when he said that and I went out there and played, you look at holes and you're like, well, I don't want to hit it over there, but that's where you want to hit it. And it's funny how he does that. But he, I mean, this golf course you look, you stand on a tee, number 7, it's 180 yards I think it was. The par -- yeah, 180 yards and there's a tee back there 301. It's a par-3. So the course stretches out to about 8,200. I heard a few things from players. Not overly tough things. I think the thing I heard the most about it, the guys being over 50, is the walking. It's going to be -- it's a tough walk.

Q. Are you prepared for the tough walk? Are you healthy? Are you strong? And when did you get up here and who have you had some practice rounds with?
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: I played -- am I healthy? Well as hell that he as I can be. I think I'm ready for the walk. Playing it five years ago and then I played nine holes Monday, Tuesday. It all came back to me. If I play another 18 I'm not going to know it any better so I would rather rest. And I played nine holes by myself on Tuesday and I played with Jim Schuman.

Q. And the schedule for you today?
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: I think I'm just going to hit some balls, putt and chip. If it strikes me and I feel all right I might go play nine holes. See how it's going out there. That's it.

BOB DENNEY: Jim, some people work with different instructors throughout their careers who should you credit to helping you develop your game.

FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: Well, over the years Len Siter, he's a pro at New Jersey, Mountain Ridge and we have worked, we worked together for a good eight, nine, ten years and he's really helped my game. And moved me to the next level that I'm at.

Q. What's your schedule going to be like on the Champions Tour now?
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: I'm playing as many as they will let me play in.

Q. How many is that?
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: Oh I played in six and I think there's I don't know, 10 more. Maybe. Not counting the Majors. Eight more. So, when I made it, I had a choice to make, either -- I didn't believe that I could work and play if I wanted to achieve a level, so I left the job and decided to play. It's a little -- it's a lot different. It's a lot different. Like last year I played, when I turned 50, I played one event. And then I played in the Senior PGA. You go along and then I go back to my job. Now, when I, as soon as I made it and realized I had to play, I just, I wasn't used to playing six days a week. So it's a little, it takes a little time to get used to.

Q. How is the road treating you? What's your schedule like on the road? Travel, laundry, restaurants, hotels, airplanes?
FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: Interesting. Definitely not used to it. Getting used to the travel. I never mind traveling. I minded traveling when I was younger, I didn't really enjoy it. But now I don't mind it. I'm trying to get, trying to get into a little clique or so and get some friends where you can go to dinner. But usually you just are so exhausted, because I'm playing like I said, six days a week. You go back to the hotel, you grab something real quick and you crash. So it's been a, it's been, you know, it's been an adjustment.

BOB DENNEY: He's making his second trip to the Senior PGA Championship, Frank Esposito, Junior.

FRANK ESPOSITO, JR.: Thank you very much.
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