VERIZON BYRON NELSON CLASSIC

May 11, 2002

Cameron Beckman

TODD BUDNICK: Welcome Cameron Beckman, 4-under, 66 today. Cameron, let's go your card, starting with a bogey on No. 2.

CAMERON BECKMAN: Hit it about 30 feet, 3-putted. No. 6, I made about a 30-footer. 7, I chipped up to about four feet on a par 5. 8, I hit 6-iron about three feet.

13, I made about a 20-footer.

And then par 5 I hit a little bitty kind of sand wedge from like 40 yards just short of the green to (indicating) a foot, whatever that is, 2-footer.

TODD BUDNICK: Looks like the three birdies got you going pretty well there on the front.

CAMERON BECKMAN: It did. I was a little upset when I 3-putted because I was -- you know, if you are going to play good today, you can't 3-putt because you are not going to hit it close a bunch trying to hit fairways and a lot of greens. I think I hit 13 greens today. I hit a couple of real -- you know, like the shot on 8, definitely not a birdie hole today. I hit a great shot in there and just tried to hang in there. I was just trying to get it in these conditions, just trying to hit a lot of kind of half shots, keep it down, and had pretty good control of it.

TODD BUDNICK: 13 greens in wind like that.

CAMERON BECKMAN: Yesterday I hit 16 in it, that same golf course. That has been the key to my whole week. I have hit a lot of greens and just haven't made a lot of bogeys except for Cottonwood, which made a few there, but --

Q. How do you view your chances tomorrow compared to, say, this time of year ago given the fact that you have not only won on Tour but have also --

CAMERON BECKMAN: A lot better. Last year on Sunday I played with Tiger, and that was a great experience for me. This week is kind of - I haven't played since the Worldcom where I played in the last group with Justin, wasn't happy with how I performed. So I really was trying to get in position again this week to improve on that. And I don't even know what the scores are, but I will be in the last couple of groups, I would think. I don't know what everybody is doing, really am trying to redeem myself off the Worldcom, kind of back nine, 42. (Laughs).

Q. Was that embarrassing? It happens. But I am curious -- when you say "redeem"?

CAMERON BECKMAN: I woke up the next morning - I was taking two weeks off. I was tempted to play the following week because I was so excited to get back in position. Embarrassing? It used to be, but now it is more of a learning experience for me and you know it's where I want to be now more than -- when you know, I was first couple of years on Tour I was scared of that, I think, and now I am trying to get there.

Q. Obviously you have played in the wind very good up to this point. How does it change your mindset tomorrow especially when you are going to be really close to the lead?

CAMERON BECKMAN: Well I will keep doing it, for some reason about the last couple of months I have been working on this sort of shorter back and shorter through shot to keep it down and out of the wind and I just had real control of that shot this week, and I hope it blows tomorrow too.

Q. What made you decide to -- (inaudible)

It kind of stemmed from getting in certain positions where if I had an in between number I didn't like I how I was hitting the in between shots, that's basically what I have been doing. What it also does keeps the ball down when you are hitting a half shot obviously it doesn't get up that much. That's where it all started. I was disappointed on the hard greens trying to hit half shots. For instance at Bay Hill and PLAYERS and some other players, I just didn't have the little-er shot and that's why -- I am hitting little shots -- if I have got 130 now it might be a wedge, but I am hitting a little 9. I am hitting everything one off and low.

Q. Talk about just how tough it was out there today, I mean, standing over putts --

CAMERON BECKMAN: To me that's the toughest part, like for instance playing at the Mercedes I think it was on Saturday I putted terrible, it blew like this over there, to me, after I 3-putted the 2nd hole I was pissed and I was thinking you know I wasn't going to let the wind make me putt poorly because it's done it a lot to me before, and just widened my stance, tried to get a good base and make sure you are steady when you are hitting the putts.

Q. Going into today would you have been happy just to shoot even par as windy as it is?

CAMERON BECKMAN: That's a good question. I wasn't thinking of shooting even. I wanted to get up in there. I don't know what is what is it tied for now.

Q. 5-under.

CAMERON BECKMAN: If I would have shot 5-under?

Q. 10 or 11?

CAMERON BECKMAN: I wouldn't have been disappointed. Stricker played good today, shot even. We played good together. I am trying to get in there. No, I wouldn't have been disappointed with it. I am very happy with 4-under, though.

Q. You were in the last round in Mississippi -- last group?

CAMERON BECKMAN: Yeah, Bob Hope, Mississippi, Worldcom and now. I don't know about tomorrow. I would love to have another chance at it, that's for sure.

Q. Not putting too much on you but you said you played with Tiger last year in the final round, shot 63. You are aware of what he can do, you are one or two shots probably when the day is done out of the lead, you will probably play with Maruyama. Will you be thinking about what is behind you?

CAMERON BECKMAN: Not really. I kind of learned my lesson playing with Justin at the Worldcom, he made a lot of putts and I kind of got hung up in what he was doing which I usually don't have a problem with that. So I am going to -- that's going to be one of the things -- thanks for reminding me. I am going to be concentrating on -- like today I didn't even look at the board, didn't notice until the 18th hole where I was at. Just really trying to get into every shot and I know you hear that from everybody, but kind of thinking about other things while I am playing, in between shots and then playing the holes.

Q. What did you learn playing with Tiger last year?

CAMERON BECKMAN: I would say that one of the things that it did for me first of all, meeting Tiger, getting to know him, I have got to know him a little bit. That's something that was big for me. Getting to know the better players out here. You just feel more comfortable around them. I don't know what exactly I learned from him, you know -- it was more of a comfort thing for me that helped.

Q. Does that sort of comfort zone you talked about not being embarrassed anymore and not -- I mean is that all part of the same thing?

CAMERON BECKMAN: Yeah, like I embarrassed myself when I played with him last year, I played terrible, but it's more I am more prepared for it now. I am more prepared for situations. I know what is going to happen and that's the key for me is knowing what to expect. That's half the battle, I think.

Q. Jesper Parnevik lost the British Open by never looking at the board.

CAMERON BECKMAN: I will look at it tomorrow. (Laughs) I have been just trying to do that on Saturdays where it's, you know, I used to kind of get hung up on Saturday trying to think about the tournament on Saturday which you can't win it today, so why even bother -- just play your own game. You have heard guys say that. I know that's kind of old, but that's key.

Q. Good hearing it from you though.

CAMERON BECKMAN: Yeah, (laughs).

TODD BUDNICK: Thanks, Cameron.

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