THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 28, 1996

Kenny Perry

WES SEELEY: Perry went out in record tying 7 under par and a share of the lead and tell us about it.

KENNY PERRY: Well, I birdied the first three holes right out of the blocks; which is a nice way to start your tournament; kind of got me relaxed; kind of set the tone for me for the rest of the day. The first hole which was -- I hit it I landed a pitching wedge right by the hole but it kind of rolled over to the back fringe and I chipped it in for birdie. It was about 20 foot chip shot so that was a kind of nice way to go. To the front fringe on 2; chipped it up there about two feet; tapped that in for birdie. 3, I hit it about -- hit 7-iron about 15 feet right of the hole; rolled that in for birdie. I parred 4. 2-putted. Parred 5. And then I hit a 9-iron on 6 to about an inch of the hole 3-wood, 9-iron, had a chance just short from going in so that was nice, and then I hit 3-iron on 8, about six feet past the hole; made that for birdie. And then 9 I hit a sand wedge; had 91 yards hit to driver 2-iron, hit sand wedge; kind of blocked out by those trees. I was in the left side of the fairway; kind of hit it to the middle of the green; had about 18, 20 footer; rolled that in for birdie. So it was a nice way to start. Played about the same on the backside. I just didn't seem to hit it close. I hit a lot of fairways; a lot of greens and was able to birdie the 12th hole. Hit 3-wood, sand wedge to about twelve feet; was able it to make that. But I got the biggest break of the day on 14. I drove it good and I had 196 to the hole and I was in between a 4 and a 5-iron so I was going to take the 4-iron; hit it easy and I blocked it well to the right and it hits -- it glances off this palm tree and it goes to within eight to ten feet. They said it had a chance to go in, almost lipped' -- almost went in the hole; then it rolled below the hole about 18 feet away. I guess that would have been a little unfair if I would have made that one. I miss that one on purpose. AUDIENCE LAUGHTER). I just didn't do anything -- didn't hit too good A drive on 16 so I had to lay it up; had 102 yards to the hole and hit a terrible pitching wedge left of the hole and 2-putted for par, and then I hit 17, 18 just knocked it in the middle of the greens and had 20-footer was able to 2-putt so,... I just tried to -- I really tried to just be patient out there. I didn't try to force the ball into too many pins and I never tried to short side myself. I always try to miss the ball away from the tucked pins and it seemed to work today. Hopefully I can be a little bit more patient and not get too aggressive out there.

Q. What was closest you came to a bogey today?

KENNY PERRY: It just -- I guess it would have been on 15. Yeah, I hit it in the left green-side bunker and I blasted it up to about a foot, so -- but it was a pretty tricky little bunker shot; didn't have the much green to work with. Only had to hit it -- probably only had to hit the bunker shot ten feet and then only probably had another ten feet of green.

Q. This was a little different than your last competitive round?

KENNY PERRY: Yeah. I shot 82 first round t New Orleans and withdraw. The past four weeks have just been terrible for me. I just played terrible golf. And so I shoot 82 first round at New Orleans; pretty frustrated the way things are going. I am in my truck driving all the way over here; gave me good way to think about it on Friday. I am staying with Leonard Thompson who is living out in Marsh Landing. We came out Saturday and Sunday. He kind of paid attention to what I was doing out there. He kind of knows my game. So I worked all day Saturday Sunday; then Monday through Wednesday I was out here from 9 to 6 everyday just hitting balls. I also switched to a new set of irons. Put a new set of bubble shafts in my irons. I have been playing steel all year and Jim Sealman and Dick is now the inventor of these new bubble shafts which is equivalent to an X-100 in steel. Now I am hitting the ball at the target; seemed like my shots I have been missing far left, and all of a sudden my ball flies straightened out for me, and it gave me a lot of confidence, and they were really -- they were really super golf clubs. I am still a little unsure on my distances on a few shots as to how far they are actually going, so I am kind of kind of learning feeling my way around to that extent, but I am really excited about the rest of the week and about the -- you open up a new set of irons and hit them as well as I did, that is kind of a nice way to go.

Q. Besides the irons, have you fixed something in your swing that explains 82 too 65?

KENNY PERRY: I haven't changed my swing. I think basically I have been getting kind of lazy what I have been doing and not been practicing enough. I hit a lot of golf balls and I felt very comfortable out there today. I didn't feel like I was going to pull it left or right. I just felt like I was swinging down my target line, the ball seemed to go where I was looking.

Q. Where does that 82 rank as far as --

KENNY PERRY: That was probably my worst round on ten years on Tour. I don't think I have shot any higher. That is kind of an eye opening experience to have your best year previous year ever, and then come out and play so poor. It is a pretty humbling game and it makes you get refocused. I think that round, even though it was such a terrible round, it kind of got me going in the right direction again because it showed how lazy I had gotten, and how complacent and how I was taking the game for granted. I felt like I could just go out there and make it happen, and that is just not the case with me. Most of you all see me swing the golf club. I don't swing it very conventional, so I have to hit a lot of golf balls to make it happen.

Q. Tell us about the drive across.

KENNY PERRY: I-10, boringest drive in the world. You get on New Orleans and you get on an Jacksonville. (LAUGHTER) I had -- it is probably nine hour drive and basically you sit there for nine hours or beat yourself up. It is -- you are asking yourself a lot of questions, you know, what is going on? Have I lost it? You just get a lot of thoughts running through your head, negative, as well as positive. And I think I put it in perspective and, hopefully, got my act back together and hopefully, you know, that, will make me a stronger player in the future. But it is nothing even more frustrating than to put time in and you know, not get any results, so it was nice to see all the time I put in, the past five days and to finally see something happen.

Q. Where on I-10 were you when you started to feel better?

KENNY PERRY: No point on I-10 that I felt better. When I saw Leonard Thompson, he cheered me up. That is about the only thing that made me feel better.

Q. Besides the 82, I mean, why not come back the next day and just try to post some number?

KENNY PERRY: Well, basically there is no point. I mean, I couldn't make the cut. The cut was probably going to be even par, one over, and why make it miserable for your playing partners as well as yourself to go out there. I just knew nothing was going to happen. Mentally I was a whipped puppy. I was just not going to go out there and think very good -- for me to kind of get away and stay back and think about it, it is more of a healing process there than to go out there and beat myself up again.

Q. Did you ever withdraw after a round for no physical reason?

KENNY PERRY: Yeah, one other time. And I don't remember where it was, but I have done it before. That is not very professional and I really don't think you should do it. It is not good to the sponsors; to the people that run the tournaments; to your fans, but still, sometimes you just have to step away and try to get refocused.

Q. Did Leonard do anything with you off the golf course, kind of help, cheer you up?

KENNY PERRY: Well, he basically just reaffirmed what I thought was happening out there. He watched me play and he knows my game as well as anybody, and I was hitting the ball solidly. He said there is nothing wrong with your game. And he kind of agreed, it was more my mental side of the game than my physical side.

Q. You guys go out or do anything to kind of relaxed you and helped you?

KENNY PERRY: No -- well, just playing very casual relaxed golf on the golf course. He is like me. He practices all the time. I have never seen a man love the game more than this guy, and so he always gets me pumped back up.

Q. How long have you known Leonard?

KENNY PERRY: Leonard is one of the guys that kind of took me under his wings when I first started out here. I have been on Tour ten years. I was on the Power-Bilt staff then; so was Leonard that is how I got to know him. We were both with the Power-Bilt. Leonard just seemed to show me the ropes, kind of told me kind of -- helped me how to play, how the -- course management where to stay, how to travel. As a young kid coming out here, there is a lot of things besides golf that you have to learn out here. He really helped me in that aspect.

Q. He hasn't had the easiest time of it in the last six months or year with his back and things like that --

KENNY PERRY: No.

Q. Is that surprising he was able to help you as much and here is a guy that has been struggling a little bit himself?

KENNY PERRY: It is not -- he didn't -- we didn't talk any mechanics, anything about the golf swing. Me and him both swing the golf ball very differently. You know, but he is all pumped up because he turns 50 January 1, so you know, here is a kid, he is almost like a little kid running around getting ready to turn 50, so you know, that kind of lifted my spirits to see how excited he was about it, and you know, I didn't want to come in here be all depressed. Nobody likes to be around a depressed person, so he kind of lifted my spirits.

WES SEELEY: Anything else for Kenny? .

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