ENERGIZER SENIOR TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 8, 1996

Jay Sigel

JAY SIGEL: Yeah, I made a bogey at 1. As Dave said, I 3-putted, but I hit a pretty good drive. Hit wedge to the green and never was in that position before. I didn't hit a very good shot. Had a very long putt and I 3-putted. Then sort of just tried to hang in there and played the rest of the front 9 in pars. Hit some pretty good shots, but had some chances, but was playing really tough. Good up-and-down on 10 and 11 for pars, and 12, I just missed one and 13 I had a go at the green in two and knocked it to just in the bunker and just missed the birdie. I birdied 14, about 20-footer. 15, I hit a really good drive and a 2-iron on the green made about 14-footer for an eagle. Just missed on 16. 17, I hit a pretty good shot; a gust of wind came up and threw it in the bunker and hit a pretty good bunker shot out about, oh, about eight or nine feet; made that for par. And 18, I made about a 25-footer up the hill. After I saw Bob Charles putt, got a pretty good read from him and doggone if it didn't go in for a birdie - 3-under.

JAY SIGEL: It is tough. Just staying committed to the shot that you want to play is difficult. The wind seems to be gusting at times. It is probably going at 20; then it probably gusts up to 35. And if you don't hit the shot properly it balloons on you and it becomes very frustrating and then you are left with the putting and the putting is very difficult in the wind. That is equally as difficult, for me anyway. And it is tough.

JAY SIGEL: Last week in Pensacola we have had some tough conditions, Dave, I think you were probably there. That is about as tough as we have had it and it was similar to that today. I think the greens here are -- the pins we got no relief in the pins despite the weather, so it is difficult to get it close for a birdie and if you miss the green it is difficult to chip to it because many of the pins are placed on nobs or on hog backs so that you are either chipping into a hill and if you run past, it rolls down the other side. It is a bit tough in that regard.

JAY SIGEL: Yeah, Dick, you say tempo is a big part of my game. One of my problems is I hit too slow sometimes. With the wind, I think a faster swinger would do better in the wind generally speaking, but I was okay today and okay yesterday for the most part in the wind. It got me today on 17. I hit a pretty good shot and the ball just ballooned off into the bunker. I mean, it was going right at the pin and just went whoosh, 20 yards right to the bunker.

JAY SIGEL: I was just hanging in there. I mean, the first hole I didn't hit a good wedge although I was on the green. Second hole I hit a pretty good shot. Third hole I hit, you know, in the edge of the trees; off the tee, hit it on the edge of the green made par. Scratched a par out of 4. And then 5 I started to play. I hit it close at 5 and missed it. Hit it close at 6, just missed it. Close at 7, just missed it. So I started to play after the fifth hole. But it is difficult to get acclimated to the conditions. You need to get settled in and sometimes it takes longer than other days.

JAY SIGEL: Today was probably two shots harder. Maybe three shots harder. I didn't think I was ever going to make a birdie today. (Laughter.)

JAY SIGEL: Comfortable with the cold weather coming, you know, it is just we were just halfway through and I am not -- I don't think I will lose any sleep, you know, it is too early to think about Sunday and I am just going to try to drive it on the fairway on number 1 tomorrow and do the best I can on each shot and after that, you know, add it all up. I have something to look forward to next week, the season is over. It has been a long year. Everybody feels the same way.

JAY SIGEL: No.

JAY SIGEL: Well, you know, it is important, but my way of thinking you try to get yourself in position. You know, I have had three seconds, I guess. I have had some 6s. Last week I was one shot out. It is really all you can do. If you putt too much pressure on the aspect of winning, it may be becomes too big a deal but I certainly would like to win again and I think I have the game to do that. It is just a question of when, where.

JAY SIGEL: Is i very tough playing in these kinds of conditions beats you up a lot. I mean it takes a certain amount of mental toughness. You got to be pretty strong playing the wind for the most part. You have got to be in good shape, so I am a little tired today. I am not going to hit any balls. I don't think you will see too many guys hitting balls in this wind.

JAY SIGEL: Much tougher. We would all be out there hitting balls.

JAY SIGEL: Thank you.