ADVIL WESTERN OPEN

July 5, 2001

Mark Wiebe

MARK WIEBE: Yeah, thank you.

MARK WIEBE: Well, I didn't know it was bogey-free until I got into the scoring tent so that means my mind was right, for sure. There's too many times that as soon as you say hey, I haven't had a bogey today, you make at least one. (Laughs) so mentally I was into it. I really want to have a good tournament for a lot of reasons, one is the British Open. I'd love to qualify to go over. I have only played once and it was on my mind coming into this week. It is a great start for that, but long way to go. But I played super golf today. I think I hit 15 greens in regulation. I had it close a lot, and you know, like I said, outside I was very fortunate today with my yardages into some of the greens. I didn't have too many half shots and you know, sometimes it works out that way and today was one of those days that I just -- I had a lot of full shots to greens, and with the wind being kind of tricky, we misread the wind a few times off the tee, especially, when we thought it was down, it was more cross; when we thought it was cross, there was a little help or against us. I just kept having yardages that I thought: Wow, it is just an 8-iron or it is just a 6-iron, it wasn't a 3-quarter 6 or make sure I don't hit it too hard, 7, you know, and I played -- it was very fortunate.

MARK WIEBE: I think that personally I like the 5 -- only time I have played -- I have qualified on the 5 tournament deal and I think that's probably more fair than it is to have one tournament. But as long as the rules are that way, then -- no, it did not influence my decision coming here. I have come here for so many years in a row. I have three kids and when I started coming we had one and the people that run the nursery or the day care, you know, know all our kids. It is fun. It is summertime and my family gets to come out with me. I guess they influenced me coming here than the British Open, but that does add a lot.

MARK WIEBE: Well, you know, I guess. I am not really too much of a talker. When there's time, you know, my kids are out there. My wife is out there, so there's sometimes I went over and got a high-5 from one of my kids, that was great. But any time you are playing like that it's pretty fun, you know, I hit it close and made it. To go bogey-free on this golf course is a great round, even if you shoot 2-under, if you go through and make -- two birdies and no bogeys, you have played pretty well. It's a tough golf course. It can reach up and grab you. Like I said, I played very well and when I play very well, it is a lot more fun than when I don't.

MARK WIEBE: No, I have really played pretty decent this year. My money list standing does not show how I have played but it's time for me to bear down and do what I need to do as far as getting myself in contention more often and I have really have worked hard on my game. I really felt like I had a very close to a great tournament at Westchester. I had two good rounds starting off with the in-and-off-the-golf-course and back out and my time was 8:20 and I am out there at 6:30 at night wondering if I am going to play the last two holes. The next day I got to come out at 7 o'clock in the morning and play two holes. Then I tee off at 5:20 to start my second round. I never had a flow. It wasn't just me. It was anyone. We didn't have a flow to our round there. But I do look back and think I played some pretty good golf on a pretty hard golf course. Westchester is a great golf course. I have told my wife this too, when I am playing good I know it. I wish I played better when I knew I wasn't on my stick and I am still working on that but I know when I am playing well and I knew going into that tournament that I was playing well. I think I shot 3-over on the weekend. Wasn't very good but it was as good as I had that week. I am just carrying over. I feel like I am playing some good golf right now.

MARK WIEBE: I don't know. I guess knowing more where the ball is going to go. I have practiced a lot. I feel like I can trust my swing more. I am just trying to play. The object on par 4s is to have -- try to make a 4 better and par 3s, 3 or better and so on. I am probably focused in a little bit more because I know that I am hitting the ball nicely and kind of looking at a spot and most of the time I am hitting it there. I had a lot of short birdie putts today. I didn't have too many real tough putts, except on 18, I was above the cup, but all and all I had a lot of close putts that were, you know, more uphill than they were down hill.

MARK WIEBE: It kind of lipped out. It was a very slow lip-out. I thought-- I was thinking on the putt this would be great, that would be an 8-under par round. First time I really added up my score but you can't help it, I am facing the big board there. I said, well, it's 7-under, never did I think I didn't have any bogeys. I wasn't aware of that. I thought: Boy, this would be a great round and then after I 2-putted I said: You know, it is a great round anyway. I would have loved to shoot 64 but 65 is not bad.

MARK WIEBE: It was into the wind. It was 161 yards, I think was the yardage. It was into a pretty good wind. On No. 1 you know, you could tell the wind was blowing and two goes the same direction, and my ball flew just past the pin which we were -- we didn't think that was going to happen - hit it maybe short of the pin and then release it to the hole. I think that hole maybe, after playing it twice now, plays shorter than you think it plays. Maybe it is a little bit more downhill than you think. We are not sure yet.

MARK WIEBE: Probably 20, 22 feet, let's say.

MARK WIEBE: I didn't hear you, my ears -- (laughter).

MARK WIEBE: I really believe I have not played my best golf yet, I really don't. I think that's a wives tale. I think that guys maybe believe that when they are 40-ish or 40-something they think: Well, I guess I am over the hill. I just don't -- I mean I am 43 and I shot 65 here today with no bogeys. I just can't think that I don't have good golf around the corner. You know, I just -- when I feel like I can't compete then that will be it for me but I still think that I have got a lot of golf yet to play. I think it is all personal. Guys maybe get aches and pains and you know, backs go out and I really feel like I have a swing that is not too hard on my back. I feel like I can play forever some days. It is hard-- played with Sergio at Westchester in the third round and then I played with Tiger the fourth round. Golf is different than it used to be, I am going to tell you right now. It is way different. I mean, driving par 4s in this kind of stuff, but you know, it was pretty cool to watch a kid out there and having so much fun as Sergio does and watching Tiger as good as he is. But also, measuring myself against two great players and you know, that particular day I played with Tiger he shot 71, I shot 27, I thought I hit it terrible today and I lost to the best player in the world by one shot. So I have nothing else to measure myself against. So if anything as much as I would have loved to hit it better, I got a little something out of that.

MARK WIEBE: My family is out with me. If anything I put too much pressure on myself a lot to play well here. I tried this -- coming into this tournament to not do that to myself or to them. I just want to play and I am playing good. It is up to me now. It is a mental game for me. It is up to me to step up and tee it up and go and let myself play and not try too hard or try too little, just to go play.