CANON GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

July 2, 1998

Kenny Perry

KENNY PERRY: It was a nice morning. Started out with a birdie on the 10th hole, which is probably the hardest hole starting you could ever ask for, and hit a nice drive and a six iron about eight feet from the hole, and made it for birdie. I had the last three weeks off. I kind of didn't know what to expect on that first hole. It's kind of nice to get off to a birdie on the first hole. Just played really solid all day, didn't do anything spectacular, hit a lot of fairways and it was kind of a crazy round. The first 11 holes I played like a champion, and all of a sudden the wheels fell off on holes 12, 13, 14, 15. I kind of ran out of gas. I ran out of energy. My legs started kind of wobbling. I wasn't nervous. I just got tired. So it was nice to kind of have -- I was five under through 11. I kind of had a nice cushion there and so I bogied two holes in a row. And I made an unbelievable par on seven, par five, which was my 15th hole. Made a nice putt there, which kept my momentum going. I birdied seven at nine to finish the round up, finish five under. All in all, I played steady first 11 holes. Four holes, I kind of disappeared and was lost and I played good the last couple. It was kind of an interesting day for me.

KENNY PERRY: I really like this golf course. This is a nice week for me. This is my 12th year to play here. I played 12 straight years in a row, and I stayed with this same family for 12 years in a row. It's a great week for me. I enjoy the people up here and it's very comfortable. I've always had fun. I think that's a part of why I play well.

KENNY PERRY: It's a pleasant day, wasn't hot at all. With a 7:51 tee time, started warming up the last couple of holes. It's pretty mild out there. I've been to Kentucky the last couple of weeks. It's horrendous there. 96 percent humidity. It's a nice change for me.

KENNY PERRY: No. Basically, I think I sat on my duff for three weeks. I had eight weeks on TOUR. I took the last three weeks off. I took -- I wasn't in the Open. I took the Westchester off. I took Chicago off, the Open. I kind of got out of the routine a little bit, and so I kind of got out there concentrating, straining a little bit. I mentally got tired. I think it kind of got to me physically. I ate a Power Bar on the 12th hole. I think that kind of kicked in the last couple of holes. No, I never felt that before. That was kind of a weird deal. I don't want to feel it again either. I took an eight iron on hole number three which would have been my 12th hole. I pull hooked a six iron on the next hole in the next bunk; long drive three par five. I made a bogie there. I pull hooked a drive on seven or six into the trees into the rough. I chipped it out 260 to the hole for the third shot on my par five. I hit it in a short bunker, had about a 40-yard bunk earshot. I got that out four par. Unbelievable bunker shot. I played the last three holes very well, driver four iron on seven, about 15 feet and made it. Hit a four iron pretty close on the next one, missed it. I hit a wedge, 25 feet, and made a nice putt on the last hole. I had 27 rolls today. I played pretty well, felt comfortable on the greens.

KENNY PERRY: Front, 10, driver six iron. About eight feet, made it. I three-putted 13. I hit a driver two iron on the par five and three putted it for par. 14 I hit a driver and a pitching wedge about eight feet past the hole and made that for birdie, and then I hit a seven iron on the 16 about 12 feet and made that and then 18 I hit a driver and a five iron about 20 feet and made that. Then I hit it close on 11, which is the number two hole. I hit a three wood sand wedge about two feet, three feet, made that for birdie. I made seven birdies, which is kind of nice. You make seven birdies out there, you've done something.

KENNY PERRY: Finished first in the Pro AM. That's a nice start. I had a great group. Sara, I had a lady on the team. She made two natural birdies four hole in one on the par two, par three. And it was probably the first group I ever played in that. Had a lot of eagles. I never played -- we had a lot of eagles and pars, not too many birdies. It was funny, it was crazy out there.

KENNY PERRY: No. All it is getting in position for Sunday. I mean, I played pretty well this year on Thursday, and Fridays and Saturdays it's been horrendous for me. I've been shooting a lot of 73s, 4s and 5s on Saturday. I come back and play a good round on Sunday. I played okay this year, made a lot of cuts. I can't seem to putt four good rounds together. So it's a good start. I hadn't been shooting five under. I've been shooting one and two under. Maybe I can kind of carry this momentum off.

KENNY PERRY: Definitely. Lots of Power Bars.

KENNY PERRY: I was lucky, I had one in there.