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THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY ROLEX

July 23, 2015

Jeff Sluman

SUNNINGDALE, ENGLAND

Q. Tremendous start, 4-under par after three holes, finishing 65. What did you do particularly well today?
JEFF SLUMAN: Really a little bit of everything on this golf course. I drove it well. I hit a lot of fairways. I didn't leave myself too many chances honestly to make bogey, which is what you have to do around here. This is my favourite golf course in the world so I'm excited when I got here. I got here early and played actually four practise rounds. Maybe that helped out a little bit also.

Q. Tell us why it's your favourite golf course in the world. You've played a lot of them.
JEFF SLUMAN: I just fell in love six years ago when we were here. Just the layout, the selection of shots that you need off of every tee. They give you two, sometimes three options on the fours and the fives if you want to be real bold. I just think it's a golf course that you rarely see anymore that gives you a lot of different angles and a lot of variety. I just think the world of it.

Q. Now 700 events for you on the PGA Tour and nearly 200 now on the Champions Tour, for 900 events. At the age of 57 you are still incredibly competitive. What's the key to the longevity?
JEFF SLUMAN: I think honestly you have to be a little lucky without any major injuries. You really still have to love to do it. If you don't, you're going to get out here and you're going to play poorly. You're going to get run over by all the guys. Like I said, you've got to like the grind. I need to make some money still, so I can't figure out any other way to make a living other than hitting this silly golf ball.

Q. Am I right to assume satisfaction with a score like that to start here?
JEFF SLUMAN: Yeah, you know, I hit a beautiful putt on the last hole. It creased the edge. But 65, kind of the year I've been having, struggling a little bit. It was a real good start, so I'm very happy.

Q. I get the impression there were plenty of opportunities?
JEFF SLUMAN: I drove it real well which sets you up on this golf course. I think that's the key with the angles and variety of tee shots that you have out there. I was able to take advantage of that today, and gave myself quite a few birdie opportunities.

Q. I overheard you saying it's a favourite golf course. What makes it a favourite?
JEFF SLUMAN: Just everything about this golf course, from shot selection, angles off the tee. Par 3s are a terrific variety. The fours and the fives, two, sometimes three options really off the tee as to how bold, how good you feel, wind direction. So everything is out there for you. You get rewarded with great shots and you get penalised with poor ones.

Q. Love at first sight?
JEFF SLUMAN: Yeah, I think so. Six years ago came here and said, this is really what golf's all about. I couldn't be more pleased when I found out a couple years ago that we were coming back here. Just real happy to be here.

Q. I presume that makes you excited about challenge before you even strike a shouldn't?
JEFF SLUMAN: Yeah, when you come here and you're excited to be here and you want to be here and you want to play well on a golf course that's, as I would say for myself, as I said, a favourite golf course I've ever played. You don't want to just come out here and kind of meander around. So I was excited to get here. I got here a little early, one extra day early, and took four practise rounds. Maybe it helped out a little bit.

Q. And you're still as competitive as ever, aren't you? The juices are flowing?
JEFF SLUMAN: I think that's the only way you can continue to play at a high level at this age. You really have to have that competitive gene that really isn't going to get turned off ever.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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