THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY SOUTHERN COMPANY

October 30, 1999

Chris Perry

CHRIS PERRY: Today was a tough day to play just because of the stopping and starting, with the rain. It wouldn't make up its mind today. I really don't prefer to play in the rain because of the hassles that you have of toweling your glove off and grips and all that type of stuff. The course is just in great shape. Reason we played lift, clean and place this afternoon is they were a little worried that if they got a lot of rain -- and it was a few places was starting to puddle in the fairways. Greens were fine, but they probably made the right decision because if it started to come down like it did just ten minutes ago -- but I think tomorrow if it doesn't rain too much, we will play the ball down again.

CHRIS PERRY: Jim, it was very difficult as everyone knows. Payne was a friend of all of ours. Obviously, Paul Azinger and Scott Hoch, Mark O'Meara the guys in Orlando were very, very close. I knew Payne. Payne came to my house in 1986 when I was first on TOUR, and we had a little cookout. Was my first year on TOUR, and he was complementing -- it was on the -- it was the best hamburgers he ever had in his life. He was a great guy. And an incredible service, both Thursday morning -- if I would have had to tee off as Duffy Waldorf did 30 minutes after that, I don't really know that I would have played very well. I need little bit of time, because Tom Lehman and I are pretty good friends, and even when they said -- when Commissioner Finchem introduced him, I pretty much lost it there. He was a great guy. The TOUR and the world is at a great loss but if there is any good that can come out of a tragedy like that, you can see that yesterday and what happened in the service. When all those TOUR pros lined up -- everybody was fantastic who spoke. It was both funny and very, very emotional. They handed out the tissues; we all needed them. I've needed them several times. My wife went with me. We through over in Nick Price's plane. Very saddened. I am a very focused person. We are never going to forget him. As you can see, my hat has stuff all over it. I have the plaid on the back. He is truly going to be missed, but I think he is going to change a lot of peoples' lives because of what happened. I know he is going to change mine.

CHRIS PERRY: No, I don't think -- no. I don't think closure yet. It is going to be a long, long time before that happens because of how much he meant to everybody. The service, as I said, was incredible. He was wonderful. You have got to enjoy life to the fullest. I am a very focused and hard worker and grinder on the TOUR, trying every shot. Probably got in my own way too, too much. After what happened, you know, this year has been great for me. I have played super all year, very -- more relaxed. I am still intense, but just do my best and whatever happens, happens. I shot 64 in the first part of the morning round. Played just about the same in the afternoon. Missed a few more fairways, but what does it all really matter? Yes, it is a huge tournament, but there is more important things in life that are important. I have -- really have come to realize that in the last few years that, yeah, golf is very important, but family and friends and the legacy that you leave behind is what the most important.

CHRIS PERRY: I thought it wasn't supposed to rain until 4, 5 o'clock. The pants I have -- it was fairly humid today. Greens were a little stickier than they were on Thursday. They were a little slower; so you could be more aggressive. Weather did play a part -- really tricky on a few of those shots -- wind made 180-degree turn from the time we teed off on No. 1 'til we got to the 4th hole. It was -- you felt 15- to 20-degree difference on the 4 tee shot. I just -- my focus was there. I think once you got to the putting green and to the range, when you get into your routine, that is when it all kind of -- you start concentrating on what you have to do. As I said, I have played super this year. My driving has been great. Putted the ball well. I didn't hit it as well this afternoon. I missed few too many fairways, but was able to make up with some good up-and-downs. I am looking forward to tomorrow. Whatever happens, yes, it is a big tournament, but we are all real -- still in mourning thinking about Payne, too.

CHRIS PERRY: Well, what I mean by that is I -- priorities -- priorities for me have still been family and stuff, but I think to just rethink things a little bit; that I have three children: 6, 3, a boy six-and-a-half, three-and-a-half and two girls. I do play a lot on the TOUR. I have a fantastic wife who understands how hard we have to work out here. And I have played, I believe, this is my 29th or 30th tournament, which is a pretty full schedule. They travel probably 12, 13, 14 events. So I'm by myself quite a bit. So she has a lot to do at home. As you know, my father was a professional baseball player. By the way, it is his birthday today. Happy birthday today. 63 today. He is here. I grew up in that atmosphere where my father was gone a lot because of playing baseball. Be on the road two, three weeks at a time; so are we. I try to get home -- not more than two weeks be gone, and then get back home for at least a couple of days. I want my kids to be able to come to me when they have a problem; do school work; go to the soccer games. And I just -- I do that, but I want to do even more with my children after -- and the faith that I have in God; I need to adjust that in my life-style, as well.

CHRIS PERRY: As I have said, I have had pretty good focus the whole year. I haven't won this year, which is basically my goals for the year were to finish in the Top-30. After the two years that I have had previous, finishing, I believe, 46th and 38th on the money list, my No. 1 goal this year was to finish in the Top 30. No. 2 was to win a tournament, which I haven't done yet. I have two more chances because the Mercedes Championship was just a nice way to start from a kid from Minnesota who saw 50 inches of snow in January, to be able to go to Hawaii for two weeks is pretty special. I told my mother growing up that some day, I am going to win that Golden Pineapple at the United Airlines Hawaiian Open. I thought that was pretty neat. Really, when I got on the putting green -- I have always been a good putter. I noticed they were a little bit slower. I think because of the humidity you had to be more aggressive. Greens are holding, but the pin placements are -- some of them were pretty tough. And when the wind kicked up, it played fairly hard. When I get off to a good start, I get into a good rhythm on the range, started off well and I was it is a continuation of the round. I was 3-under going into my first tee shot today. And then I ended up shooting 4-under to shoot 64, par 71. Just continue to go, just continue the focus and have the swing thoughts, and really play what I call conservative -- conservative/aggressive is how I play. I don't take a lot of unnecessary chances where I am going to make a big number, but I do make a quite number of birdies.

CHRIS PERRY: Haven't had the opportunity to play with him. I know Tiger, talking with him right, now, obviously, he is the best player in the world, and it will be a treat and honor to play with him. I have asked him to play a couple of times in practice rounds. I just missed him at the U.S. Open in San Francisco at the Olympic Club by one player on Sunday. I was one group in front of him, I think it was. But what a year he has had. David Duval, I mean, there is a number of guys that have played outstanding. To win out here, you have got to have a lot of talent, and you have got have -- Tiger obviously has the focus that you have to have, and there is no weakness in his game at all. I like the golf course here. I think it sets up well for how I am playing. I have been driving the ball, as I said, really well. My iron-play, if I do miss a shot, usually, here you are still on the green, and I have always been a pretty good lag-putter. And as I said, there is a few birdie holes I think for me -- just going to depend on the weather and how much rain they get tonight.

CHRIS PERRY: I think the front 9 is where you can make a few birdies. Seems to play a little bit shorter if the wind comes out of the southwest, which is kind of downwind on 1 and 2. 3, I have birdied, I believe, three days in a row. No. 4 is very difficult. That was probably toughest shot today because that -- as soon as we were on 2 green, the wind totally switched and came into us and just dropped ten or fifteen -- ten degrees at least. Then 4 was a very difficult shot over the canyon. Tomorrow, I know the pins -- they have had a couple pins in the corners. No. 8 was probably the toughest shot today because of the swirling winds. Even though it was the shortest shot of the day; there is not a lot of room for error. 146 over the water, and only 159 -- you don't have a lot of room there. If you come up short you -- marked yellow, it is a water hazard you have to rehit. If you are long, you have really tough bunker shot; so that was very difficult. But if you drive it well, keep it in the fairway and -- you can't hit it in the middle of the greens because you are going to have to have 65-foot putts; you can't score from there. You do have to play fairly aggressive. I just think the front 9 is where you can make a few more birdies, depending on the wind. If the wind is normal, that makes 14, 17 and 18 dead into the wind, which are pretty tough finishing holes.

CHRIS PERRY: I got it up-and-down on No. 1, drove it in the rough on No. 1 was short of the green; had a real good chip to about six feet made that to start the day. To finish the second round. Hit three feet with a wedge from 129 yards on No. 2. Hit 8-iron to about two feet on No. 3. 15 feet straight in, made that. The par 3s are tough here because they are pretty long, especially that one. The par 5, I hit a good putt. Just missed a birdie there. Just missed that. It was really pouring on 14. 15, Hit lip-out, big one both of us, a total horseshoe around the hole. 16, good putt, but laid it -- hit the ball short of the green. Chipped it about five feet by. Made that. Made about 12-foot putt for par on 17. 18, hit a good shot, but misjudged the wind a little bit. Came up birdied in the front bunker. Blasted it out about seven feet, that lipped out. Parred No. 1. No. 2, chipout, drive to the left in the woods instead of going -- played the conservative route. Hit it out to 94 yards. Hit it about twelve feet. Made the putt for par. Made about a 15 -, 16-footer at 3 for birdie. Made about a 6-footer for par, up-and-down at 4. Made about a 15-footer on the par 5. No. 6, drove it to the right. Had to chip that one out to the fairway. 80 yards, hit a poor wedge, 2-putted. Actually, made about three-and-a-half-footer for a bogey. 7, good drive, 30-footer just missed. 8 was very tough, as I said, just right of the green. I hit a putt that broke two-and-a-half feet, downwind, downgrain and half the ball was in the hole. I don't know -- at this moment Herron and I looked at each other, how could that not go in. 9, good drive 217, hit a 4-iron to about 35 feet, 2-putted, ran that about 4 and a half, five feet made it by to finish the day. So key for me is just to hit the fairways and I know I am going to make a few putts. I am going to be a few behind whatever Tiger is, so he is not going to -- he is not going to back up; you are going to have to go get him. There is a few guys that have got a chance. I will do my best. Thank you.