U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 30, 2001

Jay Sigel

JAY SIGEL: Thanks. You know, it's funny. There was a gentleman setting this thing up this morning, and I was off so early, I said to him, "What are you doing?" He said, "These are for interviews." I said, "Oh, really. It's an interesting place to have an interview." So needless to say I'm surprised I'm here in the interview area. It's fun.

JAY SIGEL: I played fairly well yesterday. I missed four or five short putts the first day. So getting through qualifying, it takes a little pressure off you. I came out here this morning a little more free and a little more relaxed. Obviously it showed.

JAY SIGEL: Actually, I think the heat got to me. I like it hot, but I haven't played much. I'm getting into shape, but I'm not in shape as of yet. It was really hot. It's tough to feel my arms and legs those last few holes. I don't know what the temperature is, but it's hot.

JAY SIGEL: No, I really didn't. I tried to stay as aggressive as I could. I was able to just capture each segment one shot at a time for whatever reason. I'm not sure why, but that's what we practice on, and sometimes it's better than other times.

JAY SIGEL: No. No. I thought the greens were a little quicker today. I've had trouble with the speed of the greens. I like faster greens, and they suited me today. I thought they were very smooth. They were terrific.

JAY SIGEL: Absolutely. I double bogeyed 17 both times. So obviously that's a hole that I would be thinking about if I let myself do that. Came to 17, hit it right down the middle and hit a pretty lousy shot and was able to scrounge out a par. I hit a great drive at 18. So I liked the way I finished.

JAY SIGEL: I hit an 8-iron.

JAY SIGEL: I think so. I think it's extremely hot. We had an advantage, when we teed off -- maybe three, four, five holes were relatively cool. Although it's pretty nice right here. I think it might get warmer.

JAY SIGEL: I wasn't feeling real strong the last few holes. It could have been nerves. I haven't been in this position before -- well, in a while. That could have been part of it, the heat. I don't know how many bottles of water I drank. Normally I do like the heat, but I was -- I'm not lightheaded, but I was a little rubbery-legged.

JAY SIGEL: Yeah. I put myself in a position to make some putts, and I -- I guess I made one long one. But 25 putts is good for me. I knocked it close quite a few times. I had a few 6-, 8-footers that were key for pars. Putting was much better today.

JAY SIGEL: Well, the wind is tricky again today. It's changeable, and it was left-to-right in our face, and the pin was on the right side. So I couldn't afford to miss it right. And I tried to just hit it straight in there and sort of hold it into the wind. And I pulled it just a bit. I had it just on the edge of the green, between the green and the bunker, and couldn't get it up and down.

JAY SIGEL: 3-iron.

JAY SIGEL: Geez, I don't know. It seemed easier for me, about 13 shots easier.

JAY SIGEL: I'd say this was a 9. Jupiter was hot. I think Oak Tree and the U.S. Amateur, I think it was over 100 degrees, and that was following some rain we'd had. So the water -- oh, it was hot.

JAY SIGEL: No. I had a very bad lie. I was extremely pleased with the shot as it came off. I had to keep it under the hole and was pleased with that. Like I said, I had 25 putts. I had no idea. A lot of times you'll be out front and you start counting your putts and say, "Boy, I'm putting well." As soon as you do that, "Katy, bar the doors, they're coming in the windows."

JAY SIGEL: You want the clubs? Yeah, the first hole was a 3-wood, 9-iron, about to 12 feet. Just the birdies? The 3rd hole was an 8-iron, 18-footer. The 4th hole was a 3-iron, pitching wedge, 3 feet. The 5th hole was a 4-iron, 8 feet. Par-5, the next hole 6 was 7 feet. Sand wedge, driver and a 4-iron and a sand wedge. And then 10, driver and 8-iron, 10-footer. 11 I hit a 3-wood, 8-iron to a foot and a half. That's it, isn't it? Yeah.

JAY SIGEL: Number 3.

JAY SIGEL: 10 feet. 8, 9, 10 feet.

JAY SIGEL: 15.

JAY SIGEL: 10-under. I shot 27, 30, whatever, par 72. 27 in the Philadelphia tournament. 27 and 35. And I shot 29-32 in Hawaii, 61, 10-under. Thanks a lot.