GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

July 26, 2003

Chris Riley

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: We would like to welcome Chris Riley. Chris, great round today 7-under par puts you at 10-under par for the tournament, and you are right in contention going into Sunday. If we can started with some opening comments.

CHRIS RILEY: Yes, I have been playing good all week. The first two days I played, for the first three days, actually on Thursday I opened it, it was tough out there. I didn't make a birdie and two bogeys, but I hit the ball really good. I didn't make any putts so I was shut out. But since then I haven't made a bogey and I am playing really good making some putts.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: You heated up about the same time last year with your finish at the PGA and your first win at Reno-Tahoe Open. Is it something about this time of the year, your game coming around?

CHRIS RILEY: Yes, I haven't been playing as well as I would like the last couple of months. I was over at the British Open last week and didn't play too good, but you know, it was tough over there, I just tried to take it in stride. I played well last August and I am getting ready for a nice stretch of tournaments that I love to play in. So my game is coming around so I guess, yes, this is my time of the year.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Questions.

Q. Chris, talk about your birdie run today starting with No. 8.

CHRIS RILEY: Yes, No. 8, I hit an 8-iron. It was playing downwind about 176 I hit an 8-iron in there 12 feet and made it.

9, I actually sky popped a 3-wood out in the middle of the fairway. Fortunately it was downwind, and hit a sand wedge in there about six feet.

Then on 10, I hit a great drive down there and had a 9-iron in, hit it about 12 feet and made that.

I birdied 12, I hit a good drive, and hit a 9-iron in there about 5 feet.

And then on 13, I hit a good drive and 3-wood and chipped it up close and made the putt.

So there are some good driving holes out here. 10, 12 and 13 all make you think, especially when the wind is blowing. Even though it's pretty wide open, there is really nowhere to miss it but this is a good golf course especially when the wind blows. I will be looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. Chris, according to the computers there you missed 5 out of your last 6 cuts.

CHRIS RILEY: Yes.

Q. What is responsible for your turnaround this week?

CHRIS RILEY: I don't know really. You know, basically the putting, but, you know, I missed the cut at the U.S. Open and I missed the cut at the British Open. Those are not exactly regular tournaments. Actually I didn't play that bad last week and shot 11 over. You saw how it was on TV; it was pretty tough.

It does start knocking your confidence when you are not making cuts and you are out there fighting. You know, it all goes with the career. Before I had a stretch I made 19 cuts in a row starting last August, all the way up until this February. It's going to be up and down, as golf is, unless you are Tiger Woods. Then there is really no down.

But I'm just, you know, a professional golfer and I know there is going to be ups-and-downs and it's how you handle the downs is how you are going to come out of it. Fortunately I'm coming out of it now.

Q. Having made 19 in a row at one point, did you find yourself losing your confidence in the last few weeks?

CHRIS RILEY: Yes, absolutely it starts knocking your confidence. Losing my confidence, not really. You got to believe in yourself and believe it's going to turn around. I will be honest with you, coming down the stretch on Friday I was thinking about, here we go, let's just gets it in the house and play the weekend.

But you know, it's a crazy game. I mean especially out here. It's all about top finishes. I would rather finish second one week than make 5 cuts in the row. The reverse of that is, if you are making 5 cuts in a row, you are playing solid. You can take what you can get. Here we are.

Q. How about today, you are putzing along and did you make any mid-round adjustments, was it just part of the game?

CHRIS RILEY: Yes, it's weird. It just started coming together. You know, I had to kick myself in the butt out there. I was just kind of out -- I told myself on about the eighth or ninth hole, 10th hole, when I started my run, let's go, let try to get in contention. I told my caddy, if I get it to 10, I will have a good chance for tomorrow. I'm playing really well, putting well, thinking well, everything is going well. So I can't wait to play tomorrow.

Q. How tough is it on the back 9 right now?

CHRIS RILEY: It's pretty tough. If you drive it well it's not that tough. But like I said, those driving holes at 10, 12, 13. 15 is even a tricky shot. You can make a 2 or can you make a 5 or 6.

It makes you think out there with all of the water and the crowd and everything, but you got to focus in on what you're doing and you should trust your game.

Q. Is there anything in particular now that you have gone through that makes you feel ready for tomorrow?

CHRIS RILEY: Yes. I guess I can say now I feel like I'm a veteran out here. It's my 5th year. I have done pretty well. If I would have looked in a crystal ball five years ago and seeing what I accomplished out here. I know it's not all cherries out here. For a while I was getting spoiled where I was just doing so well and I made it look so easy. I think I made over 2 million dollars last year, you know, people are expecting a lot more out of me. But playing in the U.S. Open -- I played my first masters this year. Like I said last week the British Open was a really tough test. I mean you just got to believe in yourself. I feel like I'm playing good enough to win this week. It's a weird game.

Q. Did you listen to too many people at all after last year?

CHRIS RILEY: Oh, yes, people were asking me, what's wrong with you, you just got married? I just got married in December. It's crazy what people come up with. You just got to remember it's just a game. We're out here having -- trying to have fun, you know. There is a lot more serious things in life than golf. But it's my job and I love to do it and I feel have fortunate.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Your other 2 birdies, No. 4 and 14.

CHRIS RILEY: 4, I hit a good drive and 8-iron in about 15 feet and made it.

What was the other one?

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: 14.

CHRIS RILEY: I hit a good drive and I hit a good 9-iron into the wind about 15 feet and made that. I made some putts and if I can just make some more tomorrow maybe I will be here.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Any par saves?

CHRIS RILEY: Yes, actually on 15, I hit it in the right bunker, that pin is tucked front right today and I hit a shot and my miss was past the pin, I left it short, it rolled back down and I putted it up to about 5 feet and made it.

Like I said, 17, I hit my best shot of the day. I drove it right down the middle and then hit a wedge, it landed a foot from the hole and rolled over the green, I didn't really have much and putted it up there ten feet and made it for par.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. No bogeys?

CHRIS RILEY: No bogeys.

Q. Fun game?

CHRIS RILEY: Yes, it's is.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Chris Riley, thanks a lot.

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