CANON GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

July 3, 1998

Larry Mize

LARRY MIZE: I'm happy with it. As we were talking out there, it was a great day to play golf, ideal conditions. The greens were set. The fairways were drying out a little bit. We had a slight breeze. It was the perfect day to play golf. I played a nice, solid round. I started on number 10, and made a routine par there. And got off to a good start on 11, hitting it in the back left bunker, holding that bunker shot for birdie. And then I knocked a nine iron stiff on the next hole about three feet to make another birdie and routine pars -- well, I did get up and down from the front of number 16. I made a nice birdie at 17, hitting an eight iron in there, making it from about 18 feet, maybe 20 feet. And parred 18. I birdied one, two and three, making about a 20 footer at one, and making two short putts in about five feet on both the next two holes. And then I made a nice par, you know. This was kind of the key today, I made every time I had the chance to mess up, I seemed to save it. On number four I drove it in the rough, hit a short the green, chipped it up about 15 feet and made it for a par. And then I didn't, then I parred the next two holes and then seven I missed the green in the left with an eight iron, chipped it by 10 or 12 feet and made that for par. That was two nice saves that kept it going. I two-putted eight, hit a wedge and close at nine, made a birdie. That's the key. When you play well, you're able to salvage your bad holes and make a couple of 10- or 15-footers. Something like that four pars keep the round going. Take advantage of the good shots. I had a lot of good iron shots.

LARRY MIZE: Gee, I don't know that would probably be 200 yards? No. I guess it would be about 60 feet, that sounds good.

LARRY MIZE: 60 feet.

LARRY MIZE: Wasn't quite that far.

LARRY MIZE: Last hole hitting in there about probably five feet. Nice pitching wedge in there. So it was kind of, you know, it's always nice to finish off the day with a birdie, you know. I felt really good either way. I played a nice, solid round.

LARRY MIZE: At times, yeah. At times it's been frustrating. Then I just continue to push myself to look at the positives and be patient, you know, because I feel like I played a lot more good rounds and, you know, put some better numbers up; but just really haven't been able to put anything together. So, you know, with this game I know with me, you just got to be patient and keep working hard and believe that in time it will, you know, you'll start getting -- you'll get a whole tournament put together and put it together.

LARRY MIZE: No, no, no, I haven't. You see, I haven't really gotten myself in this position, so that's kind of what's exciting about this. When you get up there you can't have a good week, you can't have a real good week, you can't win a golf tournament till you get there. So, it's nice to be here after today. And this is the first time I've been in this position all year. I guess I was like sixth place at Phoenix after three days. It was probably the highest I've been. I think I was -- still wasn't -- I don't remember being that close, even though I was in sixth place. I was still a number of shots back.

LARRY MIZE: I know last year the International I played, I was tied for the lead, I think, after the first day and I was in the last group on Saturday. How close, I was right there. I played with Michelson and McCarron. I wasn't leading, but I was close. I guess International would be the last time.

LARRY MIZE: I struggle with my putting, I guess, even though I feel like I putted better this year. I struggled with my putting, and I putted the first two days as good as I putted in a long time, and that's what you have to do out here. You've got to make the putt and this week, the last two days I hadn't made the putts. That's really the key. You can go around and play just as well as I did today and not make putts and shoot 67. But today I made the putts the close ones, even though they're five feet, a lot of those putts, you still got to make them. I was able to make those and make a couple longer ones. So, that was really the key and, you know, when you're making putts, your whole game feels better. I mean everything, just have a lot better feeling and you have a lot more patience out there. It really helps that.

LARRY MIZE: I'm sorry?

LARRY MIZE: 62.

LARRY MIZE: Came close. Yeah, you don't shoot enough 63s out here.

LARRY MIZE: They really are. I haven't played here every year. I know it's the third year. The greens may be the best I've ever seen. You can get the ball rolling and make some putts. The course is just in great shape. With the ideal conditions and the green's receptive. It's a perfect day to go out and shoot a good number.

LARRY MIZE: Thanks.

LARRY MIZE: I'll do that. Thank you.