CANON GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

July 2, 2000

Notah Begay III

NOTAH BEGAY III: In a nutshell, we've got the highest of the high and the lowest of the low. Winning twice as a rookie, probably couldn't get any higher or excited about anything, and getting arrested for a DUI, having to spend time in jail, lowest of the low. And it's been an uphill battle. I'm not ever going to take anything for granted anymore. I just -- I guess I'm just happy to be playing, and that's maybe reflective in the way I'm playing. I'm playing with a lot of spirit, and that's when I play my best.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Yeah, my personal advisor, my best friend's father, well, it's actually his brother. It's a non-related -- I'm not related directly by blood but I used to call him Uncle Ronny, and he was a man that was very kind and befriended him when I was at Stanford. He kind of took me under his wing, and whenever I was in the Dallas/Fort Worth area he was like a pseudo-parent. He died of a heart attack on Monday early this week, and I didn't really want to say anything, but inside, I was really wanting to dedicate my win, if I did win, to him. Because I think it would have been a nice tribute and a nice way to remember him, Ron Marks.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Making it. I mean, I can't finish worse than second. So, why not?

NOTAH BEGAY III: You know, the putt I was looking at, I was looking at my putt from the Michelob Championship to get in the playoff, back in October. Same length, same break. I just kept seeing that putt go in. And I've seen it on video, and I remember it, and I wasn't as nervous this time. I could at least ground the putter today. And, just throw it up there and let it release toward the hole. I had nothing to lose. And I wasn't going to 3-putt. It was perfect speed. It was a great way to end the week.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I don't know, shake-and-bake? (Laughs).

NOTAH BEGAY III: Nothing. You expect to be in a dogfight. I don't want anyone to hand anything to me. No one's ever given me anything in my life; so, I'm not going to expect him to lay down. The guy is a veteran. He's won a lot of tournaments; he's won a major. Let's get it on, head-to-head, last three holes, see who's the better man today. That's what I was thinking.

NOTAH BEGAY III: No question. I was in complete control today. Played a very well-rounded, professional golf round today. I never truly appreciated professional golf when I was growing up, watching on TV, and now I do, because I understand it more.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I wanted to get to 20. That was my number. I knew if I could get to 20, I'd have a shot. Am I psychic? See, today's lotto numbers are -- (Laughter.)

NOTAH BEGAY III: I had about three or four of those this week and I hit them all from 20 feet. I just aimed right at the flag and let it rip.

NOTAH BEGAY III: That was probably a mistake. I'm still learning. I'm young.

NOTAH BEGAY III: It was three feet. I saw it go, and I think I just kind of favored the break a little too much on both those putts. They both were -- I played them in the right edge, and they just stayed right there both on 14 and 15. If I were to do it again, I probably would have waited. But I was in the mindset of trying to keep constantly putting the pressure on him, like I putted out on 10, I putted out on 11. Just because he -- now I want him to think that he's got to make his putt just to maintain his lead. So it's cat-and-mouse at that point. And it's just a strategical error on my part but I guess you've got to expect to make those as a young, upcoming player.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I thought I hit a great shot and then he knocked it in there beside of me.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Back nine. No, you can't go out with match play in mind. I mean you've got Triplett behind me and Fryatt and then Furyk. Those guys are too good out here. If you go out focused on one individual, you're going to get blind-sided by somebody else. I mean, Kirk shot 61 yesterday, and the course was giving up very low scores all week. So I just needed to focus on my game and how I was doing and how I was maintaining my composure. I guess basically just become completely self-absorbed for as long was I could. I mean, you get to a point where the other guys, they start running out of holes. I mean, Kirk started running out of holes at about 15. So at that point when he missed his birdie putt on 15, he's 3-down with three to play, and I wasn't going to make any mistakes.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Just my patience. Maintaining good patience and good rhythm in my golf swing. Just staying real even keel through the round. There's times where you just really want to get going and start swinging harder and things like that, but it just contributes to errant shots; and the last two weeks, I've been real good at it.

NOTAH BEGAY III: It just kept the round going. When you get out and you can make three birdies early, I think, what did I birdie 2 and 4, 5, 7, it kept the round going. And it -- I mean, he made some great par putts today. I mean, he made an 18-footer on 4. And then he made that par putt on 6. So, I guess I just needed to make that putt to keep the pressure on him, and to let him know that I wasn't going anywhere.

NOTAH BEGAY III: No.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Well, I hit it too straight.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Yeah. I'm left-to-right. I aimed at the edge of the bunker. I hit it dead straight and the wind pushed it left; same thing happened to him.

NOTAH BEGAY III: 7-iron. About 20 feet, probably 23, 22 feet.

NOTAH BEGAY III: It's a 179 to the flag.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I just like them fast, that's all.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Gosh, it's immeasurable. I guess his contribution to my overall approach toward golf this year is -- means the world to me. You know, he knows the tough times that I've gone through and how much disappointment I had in myself, and to have him out on the bag doing what he does, he's just keeping me loose and to have him around to drive me, basically. It just means a lot. And he has a lot to do with the way I'm playing.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Yeah, just sort of like he's the jockey. He just kind of keeps kicking me in the butt when I start getting a little bit down, and if I get a little too mad or serious, he tells a joke.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Last week I had to just slap him around a little bit. He was getting out of hand. (Laughs).

NOTAH BEGAY III: I'm not allowed to disclose that information; break the family trade secrets.

NOTAH BEGAY III: He's going back at the end of the summer.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I don't know yet. We'll see. Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I guess when you've been there, been throughout my life, I've got nothing to lose. And I wasn't -- I mean I literally had nothing to lose. Calc missed his. I'm in a playoff, at worst; so instead of getting tentative and protective of something, I get really aggressive and focus even more, because at that opportunity, I can seize the moment and really, I guess, provide a good finish.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Yeah. I think just to sum it up briefly, when my golf career is over, I'm going to have won some, lost some, given away some, got some that I shouldn't have. But I want to be remembered for the positive difference that I've made, in the lives of young people, young minds, regardless of race, background or whoever. If I can encourage or provide opportunity for some kid out there to either become a professional golfer or go to Stanford or do anything, so that they would achieve more in their life than they thought that they were capable of, that's what I want my legacy to be, not tournament victories, not how much money I made. I don't want that. I guess I just want to make a difference.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Yeah, I'd like to. It's harder. The more popular you get, it's harder, because I think sometimes the kids get a little bit pushy. And they are not as appreciative as they should be, for the golfers or athletes that give their time to them and autograph. I mean, I get a lot of kids that say "gimmee, gimmee" versus may I please have your autograph. I mean, it's a simple -- anyone that says please to me, I usually stop, take the time out and give them an autograph, a ball or whatever, slap their hand or just some sort of. But I try to give as much time as I can, provided they are polite and appreciative.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Oh, yeah. Tiger's been a great, I guess, asset to me, as my career progresses, because, I mean, he's probably one of the top one or two most recognizable people in the world, and I'm just hoping to be the most recognizable guy in Alburqueque. (Laughter.) So, it's all relative, but at least he might be able to help me out there.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I'm going to Wimbledon next week and watching some guys play on the grass.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Yeah.

NOTAH BEGAY III: No. We've got to keep the Stanford streak going: He won the U.S. Open, I've won these two, and he's got it win next week.

NOTAH BEGAY III: He called me last week. Probably call me again and give me a hard time.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Yeah, I've -- I have about one percent influence on him. Maybe two now. We'll see.

NOTAH BEGAY III: No. Everything changed the weekend at the U.S. Open. I don't know what it is. I just really became patient, and I gained a greater understanding of how to maneuver my way through a round of golf. And it really helped me this last two weeks. I just game really at ease with myself. But, yeah, I probably would have handled it different, got flustered. But instead, I guess if you evaluate the numbers and percentages and probabilities of how things work out the last few holes, I knew that if he made it, we're still tied. And we got three holes left, and he's still got to hit the shot, and I knew I was playing good. So in that regard, I was confident in my ability.

NOTAH BEGAY III: Playing Loch Lommond. I'm going to go sit in a big refrigerator with the wind blowing in my face. (Laughs).

NOTAH BEGAY III: Well, New Mexico in the wintertime, spring, when the courses are still frozen, play really hard. I mean, you're getting 30, 40 yards roll on the ball. There's no trees, and it's windy. I think I'm going to have a real good time over there. I'm going to enjoy that kind of golf. I played the Walker Cup in Wales in '95, and I really enjoyed that time.

NOTAH BEGAY III: No. I'm going there to play the British Open. Get ready for the British Open. I'm not much for being a tourist.

NOTAH BEGAY III: No. I'm golfed out. I can't play anymore.

NOTAH BEGAY III: 2, I hit an L-wedge in there about probably 15 feet, and Calc was right behind me, about 20 feet away, and basically gave me the read and I made it. 4, I hit a 7-iron about 18 feet behind the hole, downhill and made that. 5, I hit a 4-iron in there about 15 feet and made that. Made about a 15-footer for par on 6. Made a 15-footer on 7 for birdie. 12, I hit 9-iron in there about 20 feet; made that. 18, I don't need to say anything.

NOTAH BEGAY III: About 22 feet.

NOTAH BEGAY: Well, I wouldn't do anything.

NOTAH BEGAY III: I just think -- I don't think it's through any fault of their own. But they come out and they are shoving things in your face and saying, you know, "gimmee" this and they expect you to do this. And I think that the kids that go out of their way to be polite and ask you nicely and aren't real pushy, I have a tendency to be more open to them. I think it's just a natural thing, because I try and be courteous and polite to everyone that I interact with, and I think that's something that is good to practice.

End of FastScripts...